


Beyond

by Mohito



Series: Before and After. [14]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-13
Updated: 2018-05-13
Packaged: 2019-05-05 23:38:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 45,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14629443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mohito/pseuds/Mohito
Summary: This the the final work in this series.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Dear reader,
> 
> This is the final story in this very long series. When I started this I had no idea the road it would take me down or the wacky world that I've fallen in love with. Thank you to all the readers who stuck with me. This series got me through a very difficult time in my life and without it I really don't know what I would have done and I am very grateful, but mostly I am grateful for it bringing a very good friend into my life, she makes me laugh when I'm blue and supported me even though I killed Ian. :) 
> 
> I hope you like this last one (I've been working on my comma placement) and maybe I'll see you down the road sometime! 
> 
> Later! 
> 
> M~

Mickey drifted awake feeling at peace, there was no anger or pain pushing on his heart, there was no pain laced with grief that he carried in his heart every day, he opened his eyes and he saw the open closet door, his dark gray shirt was hanging on the door alone, he he pushed himself up and walked to the closet lifting his hands, he felt the soft material on his fingertips as he pulled the sleeves out toward him. 

The room was bright and sunny and full of the light air of spring, he unbuttoned the shirt and lifted it from the hanger, he slipped it on with a bright smile and started buttoning it. 

He had a date. 

 

Milo sat at his desk with his head bent, his books and notebooks were scattered around him, he took notes reading at the same time. He had been studying for months for his SAT’s but this was crunch time. He stuck his pencil in his teeth and pushed the next page over, he read quickly and started to write, he blinked and looked down at his hand. 

‘Where’d the fucking pencil go?!' He thought. 

He threw his hand up looking around. 

“Fuckin’ fu..” He grumbled through clenched teeth. 

He bit down and grabbed another pencil from the pile of junk on his desk. 

He scribbled notes and pushed at his hair with his other hand, he heard movement behind him and grumbled. 

“Shh.” He hissed through his teeth. 

“I’m just getting a drink.” Mikayla said. 

“Hmph.” He grunted not taking his eyes off the page. 

“You want something?” Mikayla said. 

“Hmph.” He grunted. 

“Juice?” Mikayla said. 

“Hmph.” He grunted. 

“Soda?” Mikayla said. 

“Hmph.” He grunted. 

“You’re welcome.” Mikayla said. 

Milo took notes and Mikayla put a soda down on the one inch that was clean on his desk, he picked up the soda and put it to his mouth, it hit a barrier and he spit something out, he saw the pencil on his book and stared at it. 

“Where’d that come from?” He wondered as he took a drink. 

Mikayla went back to lying across his bed on her stomach with her book in front of her, Milo took a breath shoving the pencil out of the way and went back to work. 

Mikayla flipped a page and he heard pencil scraping against paper, his eyes shot to the side and he stopped, the pencil stopped and he started taking notes. Mikayla hummed under her breath and the scraping started again, he narrowed his eyes, he sound went right through his brain and he grumbled. 

Milo pushed his hands over his face and hair grimacing, he turned his chair around and threw his pencil at Mikayla, she whipped her head around and glared at him. 

“Hey!” She said. 

Milo waved his arms out wide. “SHHHHHHH!” He called out. 

“I’m just writing.” Mikayla said. 

“It’s too loud!”

Mikayla turned her head and stared at him hard. 

“I’m writing too loud?” She said carefully. 

“Is there a quieter pencil or something?” He asked. 

Mikayla smiled. “A quieter pencil?” She said. 

“Yes!” He said. “That’s what I said, why are you repeating everything I say? There’s one rule during study time and what’s the rule? It’s quiet!” 

Milo nodded and turned around in his chair, he bent his head back down shoving his fingers through his hair and started reading again.

There was quiet. 

A blast of noise shocked him, it was the high pitch of a guitar, the loud heavy drum came once then twice. He lifted his head and dropped his pencil, Mikayla had plugged her phone in to his speakers. His head started slowly banging and he turned the chair around, Mikayla was standing in the middle of the room with her hands up drumming in the air, he lifted his hands up and jumped up from his chair, he raised his hands with hers in the air hitting air drums. 

Mikayla’s hair flew through the air as she started head banging hard and jumping up and down. 

“AHHHH can’t stand it…I know you planned it…” They sang. “But I'm gonna set it straight, this Watergate” 

Milo jumped and banged his head back and forth. Mikayla jumped around the room. 

“AHHHH I can't stand rocking when I'm in here…..Because your crystal ball ain't so crystal clear.”

“So while you sit back and wonder why…I got this fucking thorn in my side.”

“Oh my God, it's a mirage…..I'm tellin' y'all it's a sabotage.”

Milo banged and the room vibrated with sound. He jumped up and down as high as he could and Mikayla’s hair flew around as they screamed the lyrics at the top of their lungs. The song slowed and stopped. 

The door to the room opened and Matthew stood in the doorway. 

“Whhhhhhhhhhhyyy!” Matthew sang with the music and Milo banged his head down. Milo slashed his hands through the air. 

“Our backs are now against the wall!” They all called out

“Listen all of y'all it's a sabotage!...listen all of y'all it's a sabotage.” Matthew whispered as he played air drums. 

“AHHHHHH!” They all screamed together. 

“I can't stand it… I know you planned it!” They all bounced and screamed together. 

“But I'm gonna set it straight this Watergate….I can't stand rockin' when I'm in this place!” 

Milo smiled and jumped around singing/screaming, Matthew threw himself around the room rocking out. 

“What could it be, it's a mirage.” He called out. 

“You're scheming on a thing; that's sabotaagggee!” They sang together. 

The hard drums beat against the walls and they all stopped, there was silence. 

“Nice entrance.” Mikayla said smiling at Matthew.

“Thanks.” Matthew said with a smile pushing his glasses up. 

Milo pushed his hand over Matthews head and he smiled up at him. 

“Whatcha doin?” He asked. 

“I WAS watching a movie.” Matthew said. “Until the Beastie Boys invaded.”

“Blame her.” He said waving a hand to Mikayla as she went over onto his bed with a huff, her masses of long curly hair went over the bed. 

“There is no blame where the Beastie Boys are involved.” Mikayla said with her eyes closed. 

“She has a point.” Matthew said. 

“True.” He said. “What time is it?” 

“8:30.” Matthew said. 

“Shit.” He said. “Did you eat?”

Matthew shrugged. “I had some chips and stuff.”

Milo grimaced, their parents were out for the night. 

“What’s around?” He asked walking toward the door. 

“Mom left some salad and pasta.” Matthew said trailing after him. 

Milo walked through the kitchen and opened the refrigerator door, there was a big bowl of salad with a cover. The pasta sat in a big glass bowl.

“You want pasta?” He said rummaging through the refrigerator.

“Sure.” Matthew said. Milo glanced over and Matthew was taking a seat putting his elbow on the table. Matthew was such a sweet kid, he could ask if he wanted anything and Matthew would be fine with it. Milo heart softened, Matthew hadn’t said anything when it was past dinner time and he didn’t notice because he was studying. 

Milo closed the door. “How about some pizza?” He said. 

Matthew’s eyes lit up. “Ya?” Matthew said. 

“Ya bud.” He said. 

“Cool!” Matthew said with a great big smile. 

Milo dug out his phone smiling and ordered pizza, Matthew shot up from his seat and stood next to him looking up as him as he ordered. 

“..and one Pepperoni.” He said. 

“With extra cheese.” Matthew said. 

“Extra cheese.” He said into the phone. 

Matthew nodded and Milo pulled on his earlobe, Matthew pushed his hand away narrowing his eyes. 

“Thanks.” He said into the phone and hit end. “You got money?”

Matthew’s eyes sparkled and he shook his head with a grin. 

“Alright, I guess I’ll pay.” He said. “You should really get a job though.” 

Milo rolled his eyes and Milo pushed Matthew by his shoulders around the corner and down the hall. Matthew elbowed him and he grunted dramatically. Matthew giggled and rushed to his bed, he climbed up next to Mikayla who lifted her head and leaned on one hand. 

“We’re getting pizza!” Matthew said. 

“I heard.” Mikayla said. 

“I got one with your girly food.” He said as he sat down on Matthew’s bed. 

“Girly?” Mikayla said. “Vegetables are girly food?” 

“Ya.” He said leaning back against the wall. “They’re not meat.” 

Mikayla shook her head with a smile and Matthew nodded decisively. Milo brought his legs up in front of him sitting on Matthew’s bed. He needed a break, he had been studying for days and his brain was fried. His mother had said he was over studying and she might be right, like she usually was, but this test was his ticket to college. 

He had always done well in school, he had even come to a point where he had really liked the private school their parents had sent them. He knew the school hadn’t been cheap, the tuition for him and Matthew had been expensive and with Matthew still being there it was going to be double once he started college, he knew if he studied his ass off and aced his SAT’s he’d have a chance at maybe a partial scholarship to ease the financial burden off of his parents, not that they knew that, they told him to not worry about it, to just get good grades and they’d worry about the money. 

He cleared his mind and half listened to them as they talked, Matthew giggled at something Mikayla said and Mikayla held her hand out and held his arm. Mikayla was the cuddly one and he was the big brother, it was his job to protect and torture. 

Matthew picked up Mikayla’s big book on the bed and pulled it into his lap pushing his glasses up his nose. 

“That math is going to kill me.” Mikayla said dropping her arm letting her head fall to the bed. 

“Pfftt.” He sputtered. “You’re such a liar.”

“Eh.” Mikayla said closing her eyes. 

Milo rolled his eyes. 

“I could help.” Matthew said.

Mikayla smiled and sat up putting her arm around Matthew. 

“Thanks.” Mikayla said. 

Mikayla could do the math but it wasn’t her favorite subject. Matthew leaned over the book with a serious look on his face, Mikayla shot him a smile and he shook his head smiling back at her. The math she was doing was pretty complicated but Matthew could do it, he was in the advanced math classes at school and was pretty much on the same level as Mikayla. Matthew carefully explained the equations as Mikayla leaned over the book. 

There was a loud pounding on the door. 

“Pizza!” Matthew said jumping up and pushing the book onto the bed. 

“That was fast.” He said standing up. Matthew ran through the room and out the door. 

“That’s a really aggressive pizza man.” Mikayla said as he walked out of the bedroom. 

Milo walked down the hall pulling out his wallet, Matthew ran to the door and pulled it open, Milo looked toward the door and saw a big grizzled old man stood in the doorway.

“Hi.” Matthew said holding the doorknob. 

The old man took a step into the house and he hissed. 

“The fuck?” He said rushing forward toward Matthew. 

“Where’s the pizza?” Matthew said. 

Milo held his arm out and stepped in front of Matthew. 

“HEY!” He shot out as the man took two more steps into the house, the man looked around and Milo’s hair stood up on the back of his neck. 

“Who the fuck are you?” He shot out and took a step keeping Matthew behind him. 

The man’s blue eyes came to his and they were hard and cold. The man grunted and Milo could smell the stink of whiskey from him. 

“Who are you?” The man said with a snarling smirk. 

Milo turned his head and hissed out a breath. “This is my fucking house!” 

The man let out a harsh laugh and walked further into the house. 

“Guess we’re fuckin’ family then huh.” The man said with a nasty smile. 

“What!?” He said. 

The man looked around narrowing his eyes with a grimace. 

“Which one are you?” The man said with a slur. 

Mikayla came through the kitchen and stopped, Milo watched his nasty eyes land on her. 

“You Yevgeny’s?” The man said. 

“Who?” Matthew asked behind him. 

“Dad” He said. “Ya.”

“Hmph.” The man said. “I’m your dads grandpa kid.”

Milo felt a slice of dread and panic slice though him, he knew who this was, he had heard the stories, this was Mickey’s father Terry. Milo walked through the living room with his eyes on Terry. 

“What are you doin’ here?” He asked narrowing his eyes. 

Terry stared at him hard and pulled out a chair from the kitchen table, Milo’s insides froze as he sat down. 

“Who’s this?” Terry said nodding to Mikayla. 

“Our cousin.” Matthew said as he came into the kitchen to stand next to him.

“Huh.” Terry said opening his mouth wide. “You don’t look like you’re related. What are you?” 

“Excuse me?” Mikayla said. 

“You got some dark blood in you.” Terry said. 

“I’m Puerto Rican.” Mikayla said. 

Terry grimaced. “And you’re related.” Terry said waving his finger between them. 

“Mickey adopted my father.” Mikayla said crossing her arms. 

“You’re the fake kid’s kid.” Terry said with a nasty laugh at his own joke.

Mikayla hissed and he put his hand up, her eyes were dark and set on Terry. 

“You look like a Milkovich.” Terry said looking at him. “At least Yev had enough man in him to knock someone up right.” 

Milo twisted his mouth up and Terry’s eyes landed on Mikayla, Milo’s stomach churned at the look in his eyes, he walked across the kitchen and lifted his hand to the nearest cabinet opening it without a sound and brought his hand down behind his back. 

“How old are you?” Terry asked Mikayla in a slur. 

“Keep your eyes off of her.” He said. 

Terry sneered and his narrowed eyes came to his. 

“You look like him.” Terry said with his mouth twisting up. 

“Ya.” He said. 

“You a fag too?” Terry said shoving his chin out to him. 

The room went quiet and Milo narrowed his eyes. 

“Hmph like you?” He said. 

Terry’s face turned into a mask of disgust and he stood up pushing the chair back. Milo pushed himself off the counter.

“What’d you say?” Terry rushed out coming at him. “You little prick!”

Milo didn’t move, he watched Terry stomp around the table braced on his legs. 

“Hey!” Mikayla shot out as she rushed toward him. Terry put his big arm up and shoved her.

“You motherfucker.” He hissed and brought the gun he had stuffed in the back of his jeans and pointed it right at Terry’s face. 

Terry stopped and glared at him. 

“You gonna shoot me fag?” Terry said. 

Milo hissed his breath in and out and saw movement out of the corner of his eye. 

“Me? No.” He said and smiled a hard smile. “I’m not the one you have to worry about.”

Terry glanced behind him and saw little Matthew standing in the doorway with a very big gun in his hand. 

“See, I’m OK with guns.” He said and waved his gun up. “I’m more of a fist guy but Matthew here, he’s all about them.”

“Mm hm.” Mikayla said nodding with her arms crossed. 

“He has a serious obsession.” He said. “He can shoot anything.” 

“It’s true.” Mikayla said. 

“Are you alright?” Matthew said to Mikayla in Russian. 

“I’m fine little one.” Mikayla answered in Russian. 

Matthew’s big blue eyes behind his glasses were hard on Terry, he looked like a teeny tiny Dirty Harry. 

“Gimme the gun kid.” Terry said waving his hand out to Matthew. 

Matthew ignored him and Terry took a step forward. 

“Oh you don’t wanna do that.” He said casually. 

Matthew took a step forward blocking Mikayla. 

“See he may look all cute and sweet but maaaaan if you fuck with Mikayla, he’ll shoot your ass.” He said. 

Mikayla smiled brightly uncrossing her arms and put her arm around Matthew’s shoulder. Matthews eyes stayed locked on Terry. 

“I think you should go.” He said with a smile. 

“Fuck you.” Terry said glancing back at him. “The cocksucker fuckin’ owes me.” 

Mikayla sputtered. “Ya OK.” She said rolling her eyes. 

“Get.” He said waving the gun at Terry. 

Terry snarled and stepped up to Matthew. “Little faggot.”

Matthew didn’t react, Terry eyes landed on Mikayla. 

“You got this and you don’t fuck it.” Terry said and licked his lips. 

Mikayla’s eyes filled with shock and disgust, Milo’s heart exploded with rage. 

“Do it.” He hissed in Russian. 

The shot rang through the house.


	2. Chapter 2

Mickey drove home with the radio blaring, he pulled on his cigarette and blew out the smoke. It was Friday night and he had a long fucking week, he just wanted to get home and put his feet up. He smirked at himself, he was getting old, all he wanted to do was go home and hang out with the kids, maybe kick their asses at poker. They were all home studying, Milo had his big test and Mikayla always had her head in a book. Matthew was probably chillin’ with them like he always was, when you saw one you usually saw one or both of the others, the three of them were tight. It was good they had each other, Milo was flipping out over his SAT’s and Mikayla could always calm him down.

Milo was almost done with high school and Mikayla was a freshman this year. 

‘When the fuck did that happen?’ He thought. 

Mikayla had skipped a grade but still it was freakin’ weird to think he had grandkids in high school. All of them did good in school and he was proud as fuck of all three of them, they got their smarts from their parents, he didn’t have anything to do with it that was fucking for sure. 

Mickey turned the corner down his street and saw the outside light of the house was on, he pulled on his smoke and threw it out the window pulling into the driveway. He turned off the engine and pulled the keys out pulling open the door, he dropped down to the ground and heard a loud crack. 

Fear shot through his body as he bolted up the walkway and pushed open the door, it hit the wall as he rushed in, his eyes darted around and he saw Milo against the counter and Mikayla was beside Matthew who had a very big gun in his hand. 

“What the FUCKING FUCK!” He called out running through the house. 

His eyes landed on the man in his kitchen, his breath stopped and Terry was snarling with his hand on his bloody ear. 

Terry stepped up to Matthew snaking out his hand for the gun, Mikayla pulled Matthew back and stood in front of him. Mickey shoved Terry back hard and he hit the side of the table. 

“Don’t you fucking touch them!” He growled out pointing his finger in Terrys face. 

Terry stood frozen with his face twisted up and blood pouring from his ear. Mickey’s breath hissed in and out as he glared at Terry, he shot his arm up and back toward the kids. 

“You OK?” He hissed out.

“Yes.” Mikayla said. 

“Matthew?” He called out with his eyes on Terry. 

“Yeah.” Matthew said. 

Mickey pointed his finger at Terry’s chest. “The fuck you doin’ in my house? Get out!”

Terry snarled at him. 

“You deaf or somethin’?” He barked pointing toward the door. “Get the FUCK out!” 

Terry stepped up to him, Mickey kept his eyes fixed on his and Terry walked past him slowly. Mickey followed after him fast and walked to the open door and gripped the door hard, his gut was twisting knowing he was here in his house with his grandkids. 

Terry glared at him walking to the doorway and Mickey stared him down. Terry stopped in front of him and Mickey lifted his eyebrows and nodded. 

“Ya go ahead.” He said. “See what happens.” 

He didn’t need to look into the kitchen to know Milo and Matthew both had guns on Terry. 

“Stay the fuck away from my family.” He barked out with his eyes wide. 

“Or what cocksucker?” Terry snarled walking past him. 

“I’ll sic my fucking grandkid on you motherfucker.” He said and smiled a hard cold smile. 

“The little one!” He called out and slammed the door. 

“FUCK.” He hissed out through clenched teeth. 

Mickey breathed out hard as he locked the doors, he rushed to the window and looked out, Terry was stomping down the street away from here. He pushed a hand over his face hard and shook his head opening his eyes wide. 

“You want to tell me what that was about?” He said walking through the living room. 

“How the fuck did he get in here?” He said stopping and waving his hands. 

They all looked at each other and Matthew’s eyes dropped to the floor, Mickey’s heart sank in his chest. 

“We ordered pizza and we thought it was the pizza guy.” Mikayla said. 

“I opened the door without checking.” Matthew said quietly.

Mickey pushed his hands over his face. 

“I should have answered the door.” Milo said. 

Mickey widened his eyes and held his arms out in the air. 

“It was my fault.” Matthew said. 

“You didn’t know.” Mikayla said and ran her hand over Matthews hair. 

“Alright.” He said and let out a long breath dropping his arms. “I’m not mad.” 

Matthew’s eyes came to his and he saw they were full of worry. 

“But you gotta be careful man.” He said. 

Matthew nodded and his eyes dropped to the floor again, Mickey walked through the kitchen and Matthew looked up at him. 

“Give me that.” He said with a smirk. 

Matthew handed him the gun and he shook his head smiling at Matthew. 

“Nice shot.” He said stuffing the gun into the waistband of the back of his jeans. 

Matthew face broke out into a beaming smile, Mickey pushed his hand over Matthew’s hair and dropped his hand to his side. Milo pushed himself off of the counter and sat down. Mickey walked to the refrigerator and pulled out a beer, he twisted off the cap and drank it fast. 

Milo and Mikayla sat at the table and he sat down chugging his beer, Matthew went to the refrigerator and sat down next to him and he dropped the beer to take a breath. 

“Are you OK?” Mikayla asked. 

He nodded his head down and drank killing the beer. Matthew pushed the beer he had taken from the refrigerator in front of him, he picked it up and twisted off the cap. 

“Someone want to tell me what happened?” He said waving his beer. 

“He just walked in.” Milo said. “Started talking shit.”

Mickey nodded and took a hit off his beer. 

“He said he was looking for you.” Milo said. 

“He pushed Mikayla.” Matthew said with his eyes narrowed. 

Mickey’s heart clenched. “He touched you?” He hissed out. 

“I’m alright.” Mikayla said firmly. 

“He put his hands on you?” He snarled. 

Matthew nodded. Mickey slammed his beer bottle down and shook his head hard as his whole body started to shake with rage, he hissed his breath in and out. 

“I’m gonna fuckin’ kill him.” He hissed and shoved the heel of his hands into his eyes. 

The kids were quiet as he pushed his hands over his hair and shoved the beer over the table. Mickey took a deep drink and tried to think through the rage that welled up in him. 

“I could have.” Matthew said with sparkling eyes. 

“Coulda what?” He shot out.

“Killed him.” Matthew said with a shrug. 

Milo laughed and Mickey shot out a huff shaking his head but smiled at Matthew’s serious face and laughing eyes. 

“I don’t think prison is for me though.” Mathew said casually. 

Milo and Mikayla giggled and he shook his head. 

“Nah man.” He said. “The food sucks.” 

“Really?” Matthew said. 

“Ya man.” He said. 

“Hmph.” Matthew said tilting his head. “Maybe not then.” 

Mickey laughed and Matthew crossed his arm on the table shaking his head. Matthew was always eating, he loved food almost as much as he loved music. 

“What are we going to tell the parents?” Mikayla said. 

“Eesh.” Milo hissed. 

“Ninja’s” Matthew said raising a finger. 

Mickey shot out a laugh as Mikayla giggled. 

“We have to tell ‘em.” He said. 

“Yaaaa, shit.” Milo said. 

“No ninja’s? Matthew said. 

Mickey shook his head with a smile. 

“Okaaaay.” Matthew said and sighed. 

There was a knock at the door and Mickey sat straight up in his chair. Milo stood up and he got up putting his hand out, he pulled the gun from the back of his jeans and walked to the door, he looked out the peephole with both hands on his gun, he saw a young kid holding a red box. 

Mickey let out a sigh and rolled his eyes, he pushed the gun in his waistband and pulled open the door. 

“Milo.” He called out as he walked away from the door. “Pay the guy.”

“Yaay pizza!” Matthew said. 

Mickey shook his head walking back into the kitchen, he sat down and watched Milo pay for the pizza, he lifted his beer and looked down at the table, he didn’t know why Terry was looking for him but he knew it wasn’t for a happy fucking family reunion. The sick dread slid through him that came with Terry, the thought of him touching Mikayla made his blood boil. He looked around the table as Milo sat down with the pizza boxes and Matthew flipped one open and pushed it toward Mikayla. 

He watched them as they pulled out pieces of pizza, even though they went to a fancy school and spoke like five different languages they were South Side kids, protecting each other and their home was part of who they were but they had no idea what Terry being here meant, and they would never be touched by his past or the fucked up life he had come from. 

“Did you see his face?” Milo said with a laugh. “BLAM!”

Matthew laughed around his pizza. 

“Do you want to shoot him in the ear?” Mikayla said. 

“YEAH.” Matthew said shooting her a dirty look. “I don’t miss.” 

“Geez sorry.” Mikayla said taking a bite of pizza. “I would have shot him somewhere else is all.” Mikayla said with her mouth full and smiled as Matthew and Milo laughed. 

“Less blood in the ear.” Matthew said. 

Milo nodded and wiped his mouth with a napkin. “True.”

“Ya, your mother would kill you if you got a ton of blood on the floors.” Mikayla said. 

“Right?!” Matthew said widening his eyes. 

“That’s gonna be a nice scar.” Milo said to Matthew with a bright smile. 

“Uh huh.” Matthew said and took a big bite of pizza. 

Mickey waved his hand up and shook his head. “Jesus!” He said. 

“What?” Milo asked with his mouth full. 

“You’re killin’ me.” He said picking up his beer as he stood up. 

“Huh?” Matthew said looking up at him. 

“Nuthin.” He said and sighed. “Forget it.”

Mickey walked into the hallway and into their room, he closed the door and walked to the the bed, he sat down bracing his elbows on his knees. He looked up at his pictures on the nightstand and he put the empty beer bottle on the table, he had added more pictures and now Milo Mikayla and Matthews’s school pictures were all together in one frame Sarah had put together for him next to the crayon picture of the house Milo had drawn for him for Christmas when he was five. A swirl of black crayon went over the chimney, his and Ian’s stick figures stood hand in hand together in front of the crooked house next to his big black truck. 

He picked up the long picture frame of the kids all in their school uniforms, Mikayla had her wild curly hair held back in a headband and was smiling Luke’s smile into the camera, Milo looked sullen and bored but he had a sparkle in his eyes, he smiled automatically looking at Matthew’s picture, he had been about 8 in the picture and had a big goofy smile on his face with his big dimples, that was the year he got his glasses and Mickey had helped him pick out the shiny gray glasses with little skulls on the sides, Matthew thought they were the coolest glasses ever. 

‘This is everything.’ He thought. 

The picture was everything he had, his love his home and his life, they had raised a family from nothing, the nothing that was his life before Ian. Mickey knew the sick man Terry was, sick in the head and in the heart, he had tried all his life not to be like him and if it wasn’t for his family he knew he would probably be that sick and evil. 

He put the picture back in its place and looked over the pictures on his side table, every one of his grandkids were the best of him and Ian and they would never be hurt by his piece of shit father and that was a fucking promise. 

 

Oz pulled into the driveway and pushed the car into park. The four of them had gone out for Luke and Lou’s anniversary, Sarah was next to him in the front seat of Luke’s car and Lou and a very drunk Luke were in the back. 

“Hey we don’t live here.” Luke said from the backseat.

“You’re walkin’” He said pulling the keys out. 

“Aw man.” Luke said and opened the back door. “He’s so mean.”

Lou giggled and Oz opened the driver’s side door, Luke had his upper body hanging out of the car and was holding onto the door handle with one hand, he shook his head as he got out and closing the car door. 

“Your feet go out first man.” He said. 

“Ohhhh yaaaa.” Luke said and sat up. 

Oz rolled his eyes as Sarah and Lou walked around the car. 

Luke pushed his long legs out and sat there smiling like an idiot, Lou held her hand out and Luke smiled brightly and took her hand. 

“Oh thank you my love.” Luke said and stood up with a wobble. 

Sarah wrapped her arm around his waist and he lifted his arm around her shoulder. 

“You gonna make it?” Sarah said with a giggle. 

“Oh ya.” Luke said leaning forward. Lou wrapped both her arms around her drunk husband. 

“I have my heart and soul to guide me.” Luke said and gave Lou a sloppy kiss with a silly grin. 

Lou laughed and rolled her eyes. 

“God you’re such a sap.” He said. 

Sarah squeezed his waist as he turned toward the house. 

“You are too.” Sarah said tightening her arms around his waist. 

“Shh.” He shot out squeezing her back. “He doesn’t know that.” He whispered. 

“Yeeees I dooooo.” Luke said in a sing song voice behind him. 

“Shut up.” He said with a smile. 

Luke giggled and swung a hand out to try and shove him, he missed by a mile and Oz laughed. 

The front door of the house opened and Mickey stood in the doorway. 

“Do you know what he did!?” Luke called out to Mickey pointing a finger at him. 

“He’s drunk off his ass. Don’t listen to him.” He said with a smile. 

“Heeee drove.” Luke said nodding. “So that means WE..” Luke said motioning to Lou with a wide motion….”have to WALK.” 

“It’s like a hundred feet.” He said as Sarah giggled.

“Not the point.” Luke said holding up a finger. 

“I drove because you’re drunk.” He said widening his eyes. 

“It’s sooo impolite.” Luke said wrapping his arms around Lou who was holding him up. 

“Will you shut up!” Mickey shot out from the doorway. “Holy fuck!”

Oz laughed at Luke as he smiled brightly at Mickey. 

“Heeeey Mickey Mick Mick.” Luke said with a goofy grin.

“Who gave Luke booze?” Mickey asked waving his hand out with a hard scowl. 

“Uhhmmm…the waiter?!” Luke said twisting his face up. 

“The very cute waiter.” Sarah said. 

“Mmm hmm.” Lou murmured. 

Oz rolled his eyes and grunted. 

“Get in the house.” Mickey called out waving his arms behind him. 

“Really?” Luke said to Lou. “You thought he was cute?” 

“Yeah.” Lou said as they turned away from them. 

“You too!” Mickey shot out pointing to Luke and Lou. “We gotta talk.”

“Rut roh.” Luke said.

Oz walked through the door and slid his jacket off, he put it up on the peg as Luke stumbled in behind him. 

”Who’s in trouble? Luke said.

Mickey didn’t smile or laugh and Oz felt his heart sink. 

“And before you say me I am legally allowed to drink and it’s our anniversary soooo….” Luke said as he walked through the living room. Lou guided him to a chair and he slid into it pulling Lou into his lap. 

“Eight years.” Luke said. ‘Legally anyway.” 

Lou giggled and Luke nuzzled her neck pushing his hand into her hair. 

Oz and Sarah walked to the table and Mickey pulled out the coffee pot and poured it into a mug. 

“What’s goin’ on?” He said unbuttoning his shirt sleeves and folding them up as he sat down. 

“Here.” Mickey said pushing a mug at Luke. 

Luke picked it up and drank with a silly smile. 

Mickey pushed a hand over his hair. “You gotta sober up now.” Mickey said to Luke. 

“K.” Luke said widening his eyes and blinking fast. 

“Easier said than done.“Lou said. 

“He made a lot of toasts.” Sarah said beside him. 

Mickey put out more mugs and poured coffee for each of them and sat down putting the coffee pot on the table. The ashtray in front of Mickey was full of butts and Mickey lit another cigarette quickly. Oz lifted his hand and put it over Mickey’s wrist. 

“Hey.” He said. 

Mickey’s eyes flashed and Oz’s heart twisted in his chest. 

“Something happened.” Mickey said and took a drink from his mug. 

“The kids?” Lou shot out sitting up straight. 

Mickey shook his head hard. 

“The kids are fine.” Mickey said. 

Mickey looked around the table at all of them, Oz saw something hard and cold in his eyes but behind that there was something else, it was something he rarely saw from Mickey and it made his blood run cold, he saw fear. 

 

Maria lowered the Danishes carefully into the plastic dish and secured the cover.

“This will be a nice treat.” She said with smile. 

“They did come out nice.” Wolfgang said from the stove. 

Maria smiled at him as he flipped a pancake. 

“They’re delicious.” She said and gave him a kiss on the cheek, he bent his head and blushed, her heart filled up with love. 

Wolfgang slipped the pancake on a plate and lifted it from the counter. 

“For my love.” Wolfgang said and walked to their small table setting the plate down next to the fork and knife. 

Wolfgang turned to her and she bent down and rubbed her nose against his, he gave her a light kiss and pulled the chair out for her.

Maria smiled and sat down. “Thank you mi corazone.” She said. 

“You’re welcome dear heart.” Wolfgang said in Russian.

Maria picked up her fork and knife smiling and cut into her pancake made with love. Wolfgang sat with her drinking his coffee, this was her favorite time of the day, spending time with her lovely husband. 

They had surprised everyone when they had announced they were getting married and no one was more surprised than she was when Wolfgang had very simply and very sweetly asked her to marry him, even getting down on one knee like they were teenagers. She had cried happy tears and Wolfgang had slipped a very pretty ring on her finger again like they were teenagers. 

She had thought her life was complete, taking care of Luke and his family gave her so much joy, they had become her family and they had brought her the love of her life in the kindest most loving man she had ever known. 

They were planning on going to the courthouse for a simple ceremony until they announced to the family they were getting married, after all the shouts of surprise, the hugs and the happy tears Mikayla had announced she was taking over the wedding plans and that was that, there was no arguing with Mikayla after that. Maria had gone along happily, secretly she was quite pleased with all of Mikayla’s plans, her first wedding had been a small church wedding with no frills and now she wanted a real wedding with all the frills. 

They were married in a church, she had worn a lovely light bronze dress with a floor length lace coat over it and Wolfgang had looked so handsome in his black suit. He had slipped her gold wedding band over her finger with love in his eyes. Mikayla was of course her Maid of Honor and was so happy for them she was like a bubble of pure joy.

They had had a big reception with music and dancing, her son had come with his wife, they had stayed mostly to themselves but Wolfgang had spent a lot of time with them making sure they felt welcome and by the end of the night she was dancing with her son and he seemed genuinely happy for her. 

It was the happiest day of her life. 

They were married for almost seven years and she was happier every year they were together. Wolfgang had been on his own for a long time and had learned to bake as well as any pastry chef, he made all kinds of cookies and cakes and she brought them to the children whenever she had a chance and Luke didn’t get to them first. 

She finished her perfect pancake and took a quick sip of her coffee. 

“I’ll be back at noon.” She said as she stood up. 

Wolfgang picked up the container of Danishes and followed her to the door. Wolfgang put the pastries down on the table by the door and opened the closet. 

“I don’t think I’ll need a jacket.” She said with a smile as she picked up her purse. 

“It’s a little chilly.” Wolfgang said lifting her coat up.

Maria smiled and slid her arms through the sleeves, she turned to Wolfgang and he was smiling at her, her heart sang. 

“You take such good care of me.” She said. 

“Because I love you.” Wolfgang said with a soft smile. 

Maria sighed a happy sigh. 

“I love you too.” She said taking his hand. 

“Have a good day.” Wolfgang said and picked up the container and handed it to her. 

“Thank you.” She said and kissed his cheek.

Wolfgang opened the door for her and she smiled back at him as she walked down the walkway, he stood in the doorway waiting as she crossed the street like he did every day, she walked up the steps of Luke’s house pulling her keys out of her purse, she unlocked Luke’s door and went through looking back at her little house, Wolfgang waved to her, she waved back with a smile and closed the door as Wolfgang closed the door to their happy home. 

 

Mickey sat up on his bed with his gun within reach, it had been a week since Terry had come and gone, it made him nervous as fuck that he didn’t know where he was or what he was doing. He had gone around asking about it but his cousins were useless, they all said they’d seen him and he kept asking about him and his life. 

Mickey knew what he fucking wanted, he thought he owed him something, the rules when they were kids was if they had something, it belonged to Terry, it didn’t matter what it was, Terry was the man. He didn’t know it was bullshit until Ian, he didn’t know then that parents were supposed to be there for their kids and not take every fuck thing from them just because they could. 

Oz and Luke had taken Terry coming into the house like he thought they would, they had flipped the fuck out. Sarah and Lou had gone all mom bear ballistic, he had learned a long time ago never to fuck with a mom and her kid. 

They had tightened security and given all the kids a long talk about it, they didn’t go into details but the kids were smart enough to know if their parents were sitting them down to tell them about more than the regular danger that it was important. 

Carl had put more cops in the area, not that that would do a lot of good but Carl himself did a drive by every few hours. Frick was trying to track Terry down but so far there had been only a few people who saw him around, Mickey didn’t even know where he was staying. 

“Hey.” He heard and looked toward the door. Matthew was walking in with a Danish in his hand. 

“Hey bud.” He said pulling his legs up into him and letting his arms hang over his knees

Matthew sat down on the bed facing him stuffing danish into his mouth. He looked at the clock, it read 9:45.

“You should be in bed.” He said.

Matthew nodded with his mouth full. “Going that way, just came to say hi.” 

“Hi.” He said and smiled. 

“Sup.” Matthew said and he chuckled. 

Matthew chewed looking at him intently. 

“You alright?” Matthew asked pulling a piece of Danish off and stuffing it in his mouth. 

Mickey smiled. “Ya man I’m OK.” 

“K.” Matthew said chewing. 

“I know we’re all OK with you around.” He said with a smirk. 

Matthew smiled his big dimply smile. 

“Shit’s good huh?” He said putting his head back.

Matthew’s eyes went wide. “Sooo good.” Matthew said

“There any left?” 

“One.” Matthew said. 

“That’s mine.” He said letting his eyes close. 

Matthew giggled. 

Mickey felt himself start to drift asleep, he felt the bed move and his eyes flew open, he lifted his head and pushed his hand over his bleary eyes. 

“You’re tired.” Matthew said standing at the side of the bed. 

“Ya.” He said rubbing his hand over his chest and into his neck. 

Matthew walked forward and put his hand on his shoulder. 

“Get some sleep.” Matthew said. 

“You too.”He said with a smile.

Matthew patted his shoulder and walked toward the door. 

“Night.” He said. 

“Night Dedushka.” Matthew said. 

Mickey felt the smile on his face as Matthew walked away, he saw Matthew walk across the hall into the bathroom. 

“HEY!” He called out 

“WHAT!?” He heard Matthew call out. 

“I love you” He called out. 

“Jesus.” He heard Matthew hiss and he heard water running. “I love you too!” 

“Go to bed.” He called out. 

“You scared the crap outta me!” Matthew called out and he was mumbled, he was yelling with his toothbrush in his mouth. 

“What’s with all the yelling!” He heard Milo yell from down the hall. “Trying to study here!”

“I love you Milo!” He called out. 

“For Christ sake!” Milo called out. 

“Tell him you love him so we can get some sleep.” He heard Matthew say as he walked past his door. 

“He’s so needy.” He heard Milo say loud enough for him to hear. 

“HEY!” He called out. 

He heard Matthew and Milo giggle. 

“I love you!” Milo called out. “Can I freakin’ study now?”

“Ya.” He called out. “Freaking ingrates.”

“Ya but we’re your ingrates.” He heard Matthew call out. 

Mickey snorted out a laugh. 

“Alright, enough!” He heard Sarah call out. “Everybody loves everybody, school tomorrow, time for bed Matthew!” 

“I’m trying to go to bed but there’s all this yelling.” Matthew called out. 

He heard Oz’s low deep laugh. 

“Goodnight!” Sarah called out. 

“I LOVE YOU!” Matthew yelled. 

Mickey laughed and he heard Sarah laughing with Oz.

“We love you too.” Oz called out with a laugh. “Goodnight.”

Mickey laughed crossing his arms, his little smart mouth ingrates were the shit. Matthew was right, he was dog tired, he hadn’t been sleeping much, a few hours a night if that. The house was on full lock down and he knew he could sleep but he’d bolt awake from the nightmares he started having the day he saw Terry again. 

He put his hand down between the bed and the side table and pulled out his bottle of whiskey, he took a drink and held it between his knees. The house was quiet except for Oz and Sarah’s voices from the kitchen, he had to at least try to get some sleep, he took another long hit from the bottle and put it down on the floor beside the bed. He flipped off the light and stripped his jeans off as he stood up and pulled the blankets down in just his shorts and a t-shirt, he got under the covers pulling them over his shoulder as he rolled onto his side. 

Mickey took a long breath closing his hand around his wedding ring. 

 

Ian stood in the corner of the room and watched Mickey as he fell asleep, his heart had ached as Mickey had called out to Mathew and Milo. He walked through the room and stretched out next to Mickey putting his arm around him, he slid his hand in his and Ian felt Mickey's hand tighten around his in his sleep. Ian knew everything that he should know and his eyes stung with tears of frustration, he couldn't stop anything but he knew in his heart that Mickey would do anything he had to do to keep the promise he had made. 

Ian kissed Mickey's shoulder and closed his eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

Mickey heard the alarm and came awake in a flash, glass was shattering and he heard the whistle of bullets, he bolted out of bed whipping his gun off of the table, he heard a loud crash of glass and heard a whoosh as he bolted into the hallway, he lifted his arm against the light and heat, he smelled the gasoline before seeing the plastic garbage can on the floor through squinted eyes, the gas spread over the floor and a wall of flames shot up into the air, he turned toward the boys bedroom as a line of bullets hit the walls around him and the glass from the pictures on the wall shattered, he hit the floor as the dark black smoke wove around him, he saw Milo in their bedroom doorway with his arm out, Matthew’s face peeked out around the corner

“GET DOWN!” He yelled. 

Milo hit the floor pulling Matthew down with him, the door to Oz and Sarah’s room flew open. 

Oz put his head out and saw the fire, he put his arm out pushing Sarah back, Sarah pushed at Oz’s arm and shoved past him, she hit the floor on her hands and knees, she crawled over Milo as he pushed Matthew in front of him coughing hard as the black smoke filled the hall. 

“Come on!” Oz called out as he crouched down next to the back door.

Matthew and Milo crawled toward the back door together past Sarah. The smoke filled his lungs and he held his breath, Oz lifted a hand up and flipped the back door locks, he opened the back door as Milo pushed Matthew forward, Oz grabbed Matthews arm and pulled him toward the door as Milo pushed him out. Oz shoved Milo out the door coughing hard. Sarah started out the door, Mickey heard the bullets and dropped flat to the floor, the bullets stopped and Mickey blinked through the black smoke and saw Oz running out the door, he pushed himself to his knees and onto his feet, he went out the door and down the steps fast sucking in air. The boys coughed out the smoke and took deep breathes as Sarah pulled them both further into the yard. 

Oz was bent over breathing in and out hard with his eyes on Sarah and the boys. Mickey saw Oz had one hand over his upper arm, Mickey saw the blood seeping through his fingers and he hissed as his heart ripped in his chest. 

Oz had taken a bullet, his grandkids were almost killed and his house, his and Ian’s house was burning. 

Every black part of him rose up, the darkness came, it overwhelmed him and it whipped through his veins like venom. Mickey pulled back the hammer of the gun and let it come. 

 

Oz saw Mickey freeze and his face fill with fury when he saw his arm, he had felt the hot bullet as Sarah went out the door. Mickey was running fast toward the back gate, there was a low animal growl coming out of Mickey’s throat. 

“Mickey!” Oz said chasing him and pulling at his arm, Mickey didn’t stop moving and pulled his arm away from him. 

Mickey unlocked the back gate and he stopped behind him panting. 

“DAD!” Milo called out and tried to pull away from Sarah. 

“Stay here Milo!” He called out in Russian. 

Oz turned back and Mickey yanked open the gate, Mickey put his hand up and shoved it into his chest. 

“NO!” Mickey bellowed pushing him back. 

Mickey stalked through the opening in the gate shaking from head to toe with rage. 

“He’s not touching anything of mine ever again.” Mickey said, his voice hard with anger and his eyes were like blue fire. 

Mickey pulled the gate closed with a deafening slam. 

 

Luke came awake with a start, something had hit his ear’s wrong, he listened and heard a crash of glass, he sat up fast and Lou turned over. 

“Lou wake up!” He said scrambling for his glasses and pulling them on. 

Lou sat up pushing her hair out of her face. “What’s the matter?” Lou said. 

Luke ran out of his room and down the hall, his heart was pounding and his one thought was of Mikayla, he turned into Mikayla’s room as the light went on.

“What was that?” Mikayla said. 

Luke let out the breath he was holding and turned around, he ran back into his room and grabbed up his jeans and pulled them on running to the window, he heard popping sounds and Lou hissed and stood up fast.

“Those are bullets.” Lou said. 

Mikayla ran into the room as he rushed toward the door. 

“Oh my God!” Mikayla said as he ran down the stairs. Lou was right behind him with her service pistol, he pulled open the door and ran out in his bare feet. 

His breath stopped in his chest, he saw flames bursting out of every window of Mickey’s house and up into the dark night. 

 

Oz watched the door bounce and reached out for it. 

“Oz!” Sarah called out. 

He looked back at Sarah and she had her arm around Matthew. Oz felt himself tear in two, his father was out there alone but his wife and sons were here. Oz’s eyes stung with tears and he did what Mickey had taught him to do, he started toward Sarah, she looked down at his arm and back up at him with fear in her eyes as he put his arms around her and pulled her in. 

“I’m OK.” He said firmly. 

Sarah wrapped her arms around him and held him tight, he saw Milo staring at the house.

“Hey.” He said. 

Milo turned to him and he lifted his arm from Sarah. Milo walked into his arm and hugged Sarah as Oz wrapped his arm around him. 

Oz lowered his bloody arm over Matthews shoulder and Matthew turned into him closing his eyes, he saw the tears on Matthew’s face and pushed his hand over Matthew’s hair pulling him in, he kissed Sarah’s head and held them all close. 

 

Mickey held the gun up stalking around the house, the heat from the house blew over him, he came around the corner and saw Terry in the firelight, he was laughing hysterically with a rifle in his hand as he let off a sting of bullets into the burning house with a long cackling laugh. 

 

Luke saw Mickey come around the corner in the firelight as he ran, Mickey’s face was twisted into a mask of hate and pain. Luke’s heart sank and tears sprang into his eyes. Terry fired the rifle into the house laughing and Mickey put both hands on his gun as he walked into Terry’s line of sight. 

 

Oz heard the gun fire and pulled Sarah and the boys down as he crouched down. 

“Mickey!” Milo shot out and started for the gate. 

‘NO!’ He heard as clear as a bell. 

Oz felt a cold chill go through him, he grabbed Milo’s arm and body slammed him to the ground. Milo glared up at him with Mickey’s eyes. 

“Let me GO!” Milo said starting to stand up. 

Oz shoved his shoulder down hissing his breath in and out, Milo’s eyes closed and Oz saw his face start to crumble, he knelt down next to Milo and gathered him up, Oz he held the back of Milo’s head as he shook in his arms. 

 

Mickey saw Terry’s eyes come to his, the cold hard eyes seethed with hatred, he held the gun up with both hands and pointed it at Terry. 

“Fire didn’t get ya huh?” Terry said with a sneer, he took a drag of a cigarette and let out the smoke. 

“Nope” He called out. 

“Too bad.” Terry said and brought the rifle down level to his chest. 

“NOOOO!” Luke called out. Mickey took his eyes off of Terry for a heartbeat and saw Luke running down the sidewalk in the firelight his face was wild with fear. 

Mickey saw Terry’s eyes narrow on Luke with the cigarette hanging from his lips. 

“It’s the fake one.” Terry said with a sneer. “The little faggot kid you picked up from the gutter.”

Mickey’s heart clenched and tore as the air hissed in and out of his lungs, he held the gun on Terry tightening his grip. Terry’s mouth twisted as he turned toward Luke lifting his hand to the trigger of the rifle. 

‘Mick!’ He heard and he knew. 

 

Oz heard Luke call out and bolted up straight, he growled grinding his teeth, his soul was being torn apart. 

“Go.” Sarah said. 

Oz stood up, Milo pushed himself onto his feet and Sarah put her arm around him, he took one more look at them as he stepped back and ran to the gate. 

 

Mickey didn’t know he pulled the trigger, loud cracks filled the air as rage boiled through his veins, he dropped one hand and stalked over the front yard. Terry's upper body flailed back once and then twice with the weight of the bullets and his blue eyes fixed on his as he went back and he felt a slice of pain shoot through his heart as Terry went down. 

 

Oz ran into the front yard as the bullets flew, he saw Lou shooting at Terry, he heard the ratatat from the rifle, he saw a wisp of a figure in the firelight standing beside Mickey, he blinked and it was gone. 

He saw the bullets kick up the grass and dirt across the lawn as he ran, Terry fell back into the street and his breath caught in his throat as his chest exploded with pain. 

 

Lou ran to Terry with her gun on him, she kicked the rifle away from his hands and checked his pulse. 

“Is he dead?” Mickey said still holding his gun up. 

“Yes.” Lou said and looked up at him with her heart in her eyes. 

“Were you hit?” Lou said and her eyes widened. 

"No.” He said shaking his head. 

“Oh my God Mikayla!” Lou said rushing over to them with tears in her eyes. Mikayla had run up behind him when the shooting started and Luke had caught her and pulled her down to the ground.

“I’m alright.” Mikayla said as Lou wrapped her arms around Mikayla. 

“LUUUKE!” Oz called out and Luke heard pain and fear tearing through Oz's voice. 

Oz was lowering Mickey down onto the ground. 

 

Mickey felt Oz’s arms around him and he felt the ground under him. 

“CALL AN AMBULANCE!” Luke called out. 

“Is that fucker dead?” He hissed out. 

“Ya he’s dead.” Oz said and he felt Oz’s hand clamp on his. 

He breathed through the pain that broke his chest open, there were sparkling balls of light floating around his vision, he saw light green eyes and bright red hair flash in front of him as he felt his eyes start to close.


	4. Chapter 4

Mickey drove tightening his hand on the wheel, the road stretched out in front of him, the sun beat down on him through the open top of the convertible, he saw the open landscape around him through his sunglasses as the car sped down the open road and Mickey smiled. He turned into the parking lot with the music blaring, he turned the wheel hard and kicked up the dirt, he let out a wicked laugh and the tires squealed as he drove to the back of the building. He hit the brakes and whipped his sunglasses off, he looked at his reflection in the rear view mirror, he pushed his hair back and laughed turning the engine off, he hopped out of the car and walked quickly around the building to the door.

Mickey stopped at the door and took a deep breath, he lifted his hand over his shirt and smoothed it down, he lifted his hand to the door to knock and stopped, he smiled at himself lowering his hand to the doorknob. 

“Mickey!” He heard. 

“WHAT?” He hissed and felt the pain tear through him.

“Open your eyes!” Luke barked at him. 

He felt something push down onto his chest and he grunted.

“Mickey look at me!” Luke said in a low voice. “Open your eyes!” 

His eyes opened into slits and he saw Luke was shirtless, he had taken off his shirt and bunched it up over the gun shot. 

Luke’s face was twisted up and he was breathing hard, he let go of the gun in his hand and it fell to the ground beside him, he lifted his hand to Luke’s hand on his chest. 

“Who you callin’ Mickey.” He said and tried to smile. 

Mickey saw Luke’s face covered with tears in the firelight, Luke's hand turn into his and held it tight. 

“Dad.” Luke said and flashed a smile, his face twisted up and Mickey tightened his grip on Luke’s hand. 

“Stay with me!” Luke said. 

Mickey felt like he was floating away, a part of him had been gone for so long and he felt it seeping back into him, the piece of him that had been missing was moving through him filling his soul. 

Luke held his shirt to his chest and looked down at him with tears in his eyes. The memory of Luke trying on his glasses for the first time floated through his mind, Luke playing the violin with the orchestra , Luke telling the judge he was sure with a sneaky grin on his face. Luke had taught him how to be a father and he hoped that he had been a good one. 

Mickey shifted his eyes to Oz, his hand was holding his and Mickey remembered all the times Oz had tried to comfort him with a smile or a pat on his hand. Oz’s little face when he was born came to him, his little drooling face with his big blue eyes, Oz when he saw Milo for the first time with awe and absolute love in his eyes. Oz’s hard eyes after years of being alone but he saw behind it, he could always see who he was, he had always been Oz, he was always his son. 

He saw Oz try to smile at him through his tears, he felt Oz squeeze his hand and took a painful breath. 

“Kids.” He said. 

“They’re alright.” Oz choked out. “They’re fine.”

Mickey looked up at his sons, Luke was frantically pushing on his chest holding his hand like a vice, Oz was looking down at him with strength and love in his eyes. 

“I lo...” He started and a wave of pain overwhelmed him and his breath caught in his throat. 

“I know.” Oz said clearly. “We know man.” 

“You hold on!” Luke shot out. “I’ll kick your ass if you die on me you prick!”

Mickey felt a bubble of laughter rise up in his chest, the laughter softened the pain washing it away and he smiled. 

“It’s alright.” He breathed out. 

Mickey held both of his son’s hand in his looking up into the night, the flames wove out of the house and sparks flew through the air, he watched the flames whip and form a red glow floating higher and higher into the night. 

He saw Ian’s sweet face smiling at him in the firelight with his eyes full of love for him. Mickey watched Ian walk up to him in front of the blazing fire and his heart sighed. 

“Here I am.” Ian said.

“Bout time.” He said with a teasing smile.

“Oh you were waiting long?” Ian said with a laugh and turned his head to the side.

“Eh, I’d wait longer.” He said.

“Oh ya?” Ian said.

Mickey shrugged one shoulder and twisted his face. 

“You don’t have to wait anymore.” Ian said quietly. 

Mickey felt the heat from the fire and he could smell the smoke, he could see every detail of Ian's face. 

“You’re not dreaming.” Ian said quietly. 

Ian smiled and Mickey felt his heart fill, Ian lifted a hand to his neck and his eyes looked over his face, Ian’s eyes came to his and his breath caught in his throat, Mickey kept his eyes on Ian’s and his lips came to his. Ian’s lips closed over his and the shock of feeling them seared through his heart, he took ragged breathes and grabbed at the back of Ian’s neck and pulled him in hard, his eyes filled with hot tears and he squeezed them shut. 

Ian lifted his hand over his head and he deepened the kiss, the love, the connection and the light moved over him and shook his soul. Ian pulled his face into his shoulder and he pulled him in hard, he held onto Ian running his hands over his back and through his hair. They held each other in the firelight for a long time, Mickey pulled him in over and over, it would never be close enough. Ian held his head and he felt him breathing raggedly in and out. 

He half laughed half sobbed shaking his head and pulled his head back lifting his hand to Ian’s sweet face, he pushed his forehead to his and dropped his hand, he felt Ian’s fingers thread though him and he felt like he was whole for the first time in a long time.

He saw the tears in Ian’s eyes and stroked his cheek with his thumb searching his face, he wanted to look at this face forever. 

“You OK?” Ian said softly with his eyes flashing. 

“I’m here with you.” He said quietly. 

Ian let out his breath and his eyes cleared. 

“Took you long enough.” Ian said and smiled biting his lip.

“I had some shit to do.” He said with a smirking grin. 

Ian laughed and squeezed his hand.

“Ya you did.” Ian said. “You kept your promise.”

Mickey smiled as Ian's eyes flashed with love. 

“You were there.” He said. 

“Always.” Ian said. 

Mickey smiled and Ian lowered his lips and kissed him slow and deep with his hot eyes on his. 

Mickey pulled his lips away. “Fucking finally!” He said and pulled Ian though the yard. 

“Where are we going?” Ian said with a giggle as he rushed them through the yard.

“I don’t fucking know!” He called out running up the stairs. “Wherever there’s a fucking bed!” 

Ian laughed long and hard behind him as he dragged him through the door. 

“I can bring a bed to us.” Ian said. 

“Well hurry the fuck up then huh?” He said waving his hands out wide and bringing them up to unbutton his shirt, he smiled biting his lip. Ian’s eyes went hot as he tackled him crushing his mouth down over his and wouldn’t ya know it they landed right on a bed.


	5. Chapter 5

Mickey didn’t know where they were or how long they were here, all he knew is it would never be long enough. Ian was here and he could talk to him, he could reach out and touch him, he could look at him as long as he wanted to and he wasn't going anywhere.

Ian ran his fingers over his back, he smiled with his eyes closed. 

“There’s some really good benefits to this whole deal.” He said. 

“Oh ya?” Ian said and kissed his back. 

“Hm.” He murmured. “We don’t get tired.”

Ian laughed and came down next to him on the bed, Mickey opened his eyes and there he was, he lifted his arm over Ian's hand and slid his fingers through his. 

“Feels real though.” He said raising their hands between them. 

“Cuz it is.” Ian said. 

“How?” He said and scowled. “Ya know what? I don’t want to know.”

Ian let out a laugh and pulled their hands over to his chest. 

“We don’t get hungry or nuthin’” He said and giggled closing his eyes. 

“It’s kinda like HEAVEN” Ian said. 

Mickey rolled his eyes open and smirked at Ian.

“Huuuuh??” Ian said with a big goofy smile.

“No.” He said. 

Ian laughed and Mickey smiled like an idiot. 

“We can eat.” Ian said. 

“Oh ya?” He said still smiling. 

“Sure.” Ian said. “It’s heaven”

Mickey laughed and pushed his head into the pillow. Ian pulled his hand to his lips and kissed it, he felt him let go and turned his head, Ian stood up naked, he smacked his lips together and looked him over. 

“Heaven is right.” He said lifting his eyebrows.

“HA!” Ian said and walked around the bed, Mickey turned over and saw a table a table with food at the end of the bed. 

“What the shit!?” He said. 

“Ta da!” Ian said waving his arm out. 

Mickey pushed himself up smiling and stood up naked. 

“Nice.” He said. 

“All the goodness without the worry.” Ian said and picked up a piece of bacon.

“Worry?” He said with a smirk and picked up a plate. “Who the fuck worries about food? Except when you don’t have it.”

“Like fat, cholesterol, gluten?!” Ian said stuffing bacon into his mouth. 

“OK?!” He said and smirked. He piled food onto his plate, chicken and mashed potatoes, a huge mound of bacon and a Danish. 

Mickey smiled and Ian picked up two beers. 

“Got your Danish.” Ian said and sat down on the bed. 

“Yeah thanks man.” He said and shoved the bacon in his mouth and sat down with Ian at the head of the bed. 

Ian handed him a beer and tapped his beer to his. 

“To heaven.” Ian said with a smile. 

Mickey smiled and drank his beer. 

They ate sitting on the bed with their beers between them, he didn’t feel hungry but he sure as fuck could taste it.

“Holy fuck this is good.” Mickey said. 

Ian nodded and chewed taking a drink of his beer. 

“I still don’t get it.” He said. 

“Get what?” Ian said. 

“This.” He said waving his fork around. 

“Still weirded out?” Ian asked. 

Mickey shrugged a shoulder up and picked up a piece of chicken. 

“I know what will help.” Ian said. 

The room changed around them and Mickey saw the room from Texas with its dark brown carpets and ugly curtains. 

“That doesn’t do a lot to take away the weirdness.” He said waving his chicken up. 

“Come on.” Ian said elbowing him. “You love it here.”

“Hmph.” He grunted taking a bite of chicken. 

“You drove straight here.” Ian said. 

“Ya cuz you’re wicked attached to this place.” He said with his mouth full. 

Ian laughed and he rolled his eyes. 

Mickey ate his amazing chicken looking around the old room. 

“Are we here here?” He asked. “Like is someone banging on the bed with us here?” 

Ian busted up laughing.

Mickey ate his chicken smiling. “I don’t know man.” He said.

Ian bent over laughing, Mickey watched Ian giggling, happiness rolled off of Ian and he sighed sitting back against the headboard. 

“No one is banging here but us.” Ian said still laughing. 

“Alright.” He said and raised his eyebrows. 

“Eat your chicken.” Ian said pointing at his plate. 

Mickey laughed a wicked laugh and pulled at his chicken with his teeth. 

“We can go anywhere.” Ian said. 

“Oh ya?” He said with his mouth full. 

“Ya.” Ian said nodding picking up his beer. “I can show you how to do it.”

“Nah man.” He said. “I’m good.”

Ian smiled and took a hit of his beer. 

Mickey’s thoughts went back to before, after Ian was gone, he had been putting off a conversation and it was gnawing at him. He put his plate on the bed and picked up his beer sitting forward. 

“Listen..” He started and stopped. Mickey took a drink of his beer out of habit, he had no idea if he could get drunk here but probably, it was heaven. 

“For a while after.” He said and looked up at Ian. “I kinda lost my shit.” 

Ian’s eyes stared into his. 

“There was a lot of shit I did that I shouldn’t have.” He said. 

Ian put his plate down and turned to him, Mickey dropped his hand into Ian’s lap letting out a huff and Ian took his hand. 

“You don’t need to talk about this” Ian said. 

“Ya I do.” He said quickly. 

Ian sat very still and Mickey’s heart broke, he pulled his hand away from Ian’s and stood up beside the bed crossing his arms over his chest. 

“I fucked around.” He said and hissed out a breath. 

He paced away from the bed, he couldn’t look at Ian.

“There’s shit I don’t even remember.” He said and pushed his hand over his face and let out a hard breath. 

“Mick.” Ian said. 

“But you do right?” he shot out. “You knew about it?”

Ian didn’t answer him, he turned around and Ian was standing beside the bed, Ian lifted his hands up and walked to him. Mickey dropped his arms to his sides. 

“Go ahead, I deserve it.” He said waiting for the punch.

Ian smiled sweetly and put his hands on his arms. 

“I’m not gonna punch you.” Ian said. 

“No?” He said. “Why not? I would.”

Ian laughed brightly sliding his hands down his arms and took his hands. 

“I know you man, better than anyone.” Ian said.

Mickey tilted his head, that was true. 

“You didn’t fuck around on me.” Ian said. 

“Uh ya.” He said with a scowl. 

“Mick, I was dead.” Ian said seriously. 

“Ya but..” He said shrugging his shoulders up. “Still.” 

Ian rolled his eyes and huffed shoving at his hands. Mickey smiled, he hadn’t seen Ian pissed in what felt like a whole lifetime. 

“You did nothing wrong.” Ian said in a stern voice. “Jesus.”

“Alright.” He said. “Just ya know..apologizing or whatever.”

“For cheating on me.” Ian said lifting an eyebrow.

“Ya.” He said. 

“When I was dead.” Ian said.

“Well when you say it that way it sounds stupid.” He said. 

Ian looked up at the ceiling squeezing his hands. Mickey smiled wider, Ian was trying to find his patience like he used to, he almost giggled. 

Ian’s eyes came to his and they were calm and clear. 

“I accept your apology.” Ian said. 

“Alright cool!” He said. 

Ian rolled his eyes shaking his head, Mickey kissed his pursed lips and pulled away, he jumped back on the bed and picked up his plate. Ian sat back on the bed shaking his head. Mickey stuffed bacon in his mouth. 

“There was that one guy.” Ian said. 

“Hmph.” He murmured and picked up his fork. 

“The doctor guy.” Ian said. 

Mickey shoved his fork into the potatoes and took a bite. 

“Doctor guy?” He asked with his mouth full.

“Mm hm.” Ian said.

“I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about.” He said looking away. 

He felt Ian’s eyes on him. 

“So we can like bang on a pyramid or somethin’” He asked. 

“Yeeaah.” Ian said. 

“Hmm.” He murmured. “We should do that.” 

“What was his name?” Ian said.

“Huh?” He grunted. 

Mickey scowled and glanced over at Ian, his heart dropped when he saw Ian was looking at him with clear quiet eyes, he lowered his eyes back to his plate and let out a long breath. 

“It would have been OK.” Ian said. 

Mickey shook his head. “Nah, it was different.”

“He was nice.” Ian said. 

“Yeah.” He said. 

“And you could have liked him.” Ian said. 

Mickey twisted his mouth and nodded his head down. 

“Still would have been OK.” Ian said quietly. 

“It wasn’t OK with me.” He said. 

Mickey felt Ian’s hand on his back, he looked over and Ian leaned in and put his head on his shoulder. 

“OK then.” Ian said and kissed his cheek. 

Mickey smiled and Ian smiled back at him with love shining out of his eyes. 

“So a pyramid huh?” Ian said with laughing eyes.

Mickey laughed, Ian wiggled his eyebrows at him and his laugh turned into a giggle. 

 

Mickey was between awake and asleep, he was drifting along and bright balls of light were swirling around him, he turned his hand and felt Ian with him, he smiled and opened his eyes. 

“You were far away.” Ian said running his hand over his hair.

“Napping.” He said.

“I thought you didn’t get tired.” Ian said. 

“I like naps.” He said closing his eyes smiling. 

“Old man.” Ian said.

“Fuck you.” He said casually.

“I’m not sayin’ you don’t look good.” Ian said. 

“You’re fucking right I do!” He snapped out. 

Ian giggled, Mickey opened his eyes and Ian was smiling at him. 

“So mean.” He said. 

“You sound like Luke.” Ian said with a laugh. 

Mickey’s heart dropped to his stomach hearing Luke’s name and the smile fell from his face. Tears sprang into his eyes and he took a long breath against the pain that filled his heart. He pushed his head into the pillow and turned his face away from Ian. 

“Hey.” Ian said. 

Mickey pushed his arm down and sat up, he sat on the edge of the bed leaning over and lifted his hands to his burning eyes. 

”They’re OK.” Ian said in a rush. 

“Are you sure?” He said in a shaky voice. 

Ian’s arms went around him and Mickey dropped his hands to his arm around his waist. 

“Yes I’m sure.” Ian said and held him tight. 

Mickey pushed the back of his hand over his eyes hard as they opened. 

“Luke’s gonna kick my ass.” He said and sniffed. 

“Ya.” Ian said and smiled at him. 

Mickey leaned into Ian and sighed. 

“I don’t know how but he’ll find a way.” Ian said. 

Mickey laughed against him. 

“Hey.” Ian said. “How about we take a little trip?”

“Ya?” He said. 

“Ya.” Ian said and kissed his shoulder, he felt Ian lean forward and watched him stand up. 

“We need clothes.” Ian said. 

“Do we have to?” He asked lifting his hand and letting it drop to the bed. 

“Ya.” Ian said. 

“See!” He shot out. “SO freakin’ mean!”

Ian giggled and walked to the dresser, he pulled clothes out and threw them at him. Mickey sighed and pulled on a pair of shorts. 

“It’s not like anyone can see us.” He said standing up and pulling up his shorts. 

“You never know.” Ian said pulling on a t-shirt. 

Mickey pulled on jeans and a shirt and Ian threw a pair of black boots in front of him fully dressed. 

“Heeey.” He said with a smile. “I remember these.” 

“Back in the day.” Ian said with a smile. 

Mickey smiled brightly and pulled them on, they were from when he was like 20, he wiggled his toes in the old boots and they still felt the same. 

Ian tied his sneakers and stood up. Mickey looked up at him tying his boots. 

“Where we goin?” He asked.

“You’ll see.” Ian said and pulled on his arm.

“A pyramid?” He said as he stood up.

“HA!” Ian laughed out. 

“Come on man.” He called out as Ian headed for the door. 

Ian laughed and pulled the door open, Mickey stopped and glared at him. 

“Tell me where we’re goin?” He said. 

“Nope.” Ian said and walked out the door. 

“Ian!” He called out and walked through the door pulling it closed behind him. “Come on man, what if you lose me I can’t just do that shit like you do.”

He heard Ian’s bright laugh and grunted. 

“I won’t lose you.” Ian said looking over his shoulder. 

“You better not.” He said walking up beside him. 

Ian smiled and the walked through a dark parking lot. 

“This ain’t Egypt.” He complained. 

“Where’d you learn that?” Ian said. 

“Huh?” He said looking up at the building in front of them. 

“That the pyramids are in Egypt.” Ian said. 

“Mikayla did a whole report about Egypt, she did one of those pop out things.” He said waving his hands out in front of him. 

“She did huh?” Ian said with a soft smile. 

“Ya man she’s super smart.” He said as they walked up to the building, a woman walked ahead of them and the automatic doors opened. 

Ian waved his arms out in front of him with a big goofy smile, and he shook his head at him. They walked through the open doors and he walked beside Ian looking around, people rushed around and he saw white coats and realized where they were. 

“A hospital?” he said. 

“Yep.” Ian said. 

“Fuck.” He said and stopped walking. 

Ian stopped short and looked back at him.

“Don’t you trust me?” Ian said. 

“Not at the fucking moment.” He said. 

“Come on.” Ian said waving him forward. 

“Is this some trick.” He said. 

“No.” Ian said. “I just want to show you something.”

“Alright.” He said and huffed. 

They walked around people and through open doors. They walked down a bright hall and Ian looked into a dark room and smiled, they walked around a corner and they were in the dark room. Mickey looked around and all the doors in the room were closed. 

“How the fuck did you do that?” He said. 

“Magic.” Ian said. 

Mickey shook his head, he could see Ian smiling in the dim light. 

“OK it’s an empty dark room.” He said with a shrug.

Ian looked across the room and Mickey squinted in the dim light, there was a hospital bed across the room with someone in it. He blinked and took a step closer, he saw a familiar face above the blankets. 

“What the fuck?” He said in a low voice. “You said they were OK.” 

“They are.” Ian said walking to him and put his arm around him. “Trust me.” 

Mickey huffed out a breath and shot Ian a dirty look, he crossed his arms and his heart ached. 

“Did he get into drugs?” He shot out. “Cuz if he did I will kick his fucking ass. “ 

The bed moved and Mickey’s eyes shot to his face, his eyes didn’t open. 

“Ya you better wake up so I can fuckin’ kill you.” He barked out. 

Ian smacked a hand to his forehead.

The blankets moved again, he heard a snore and he let out a sigh of relief, he was still breathing. 

“Will you relax?” Ian said. 

Mickey scowled and waved his hand at Ian with his eyes on the bed. Ian let out a long sigh. 

“Is this now?” He asked. “How long were we at the hotel?” 

“It’s now-ish.” Ian said. 

“Ish?” He said turning his head. 

“It’s always now.” Ian said and Mickey squinted with a scowl. “We can go anywhere at anytime, see anything you want.” 

“I want to see why he’s fucking here!” He shot out pointing the the bed. 

Ian smiled at him and a light fell across the floor as a door opened, an older woman stood in the doorway. Mickey saw the blankets move up and cover his head completely. 

“Time to get up.” The woman said as she walked in and flipped on the light with a mug in her hand. 

“No.” Came from under the blankets. 

“Come on Milo.” The woman said walking to the bed and pulling the blankets down. Milo’s blond hair was sticking up at all ends and his eyes stayed closed. 

“Get the guy.” Milo said waving his fingers out.

The woman laughed and waved the mug in her hand. 

“I brought coffee.” The woman said. 

“I don’t want coffee.” Milo said with a pout and shoved his face in the pillow. “I hate coffee.” 

“Uh huh.” The woman said. 

“The guy.” Milo said again with his eyes closed. “What’s his name?”

“Johnson.” The woman said. 

“Hee, Johnson.” Milo said with a stupid smile and Mickey rolled his eyes.

“Ya get him.” Milo said. 

“It’s a kid Milo.” The woman said. “Beat up pretty bad.” 

Milo’s eyes opened and he sat up, he was wearing a Pearl Jam t-shirt and jeans, the woman handed him the mug and Milo sucked it down and pulled his mouth away. 

“How old?” Milo said. 

“Six.” The woman said. 

Milo ran a hand through his hair as he stood up and Mickey saw he had been sleeping with his boots on. Milo lifted a white coat off of the light fixture and pulled it on, he took a stethoscope out of the pocket and whipped it around his neck. 

Mickey’s mouth fell open and he heard Ian’s muffled laugh, he glanced up at Ian and he had his hand over his mouth and his eyes were lit up with laughter. Ian nodded and he looked back at Milo, he was at a sink and he turned on the tap and splashed water onto his face with one hand, he pulled a paper towel out of the dispenser and wiped it over his face. 

“They're coming in now. “The woman said. 

Milo nodded and the woman walked out of the open door, Milo let out a breath and dropped the paper towel in a trash can, he leaned on the sink bracing on one arm and drank from the mug. 

“No shit?!” He said. 

“No shit.” Ian said. 

“Not into drugs.” He said.

“Well not in a bad way.” Ian said. 

“A doctor.” He said tilting his head with a smile. 

“Yep.” Ian said rocking back and forth on his heels. 

Milo put the mug beside the sink and walked through the open door, Mickey looked up at Ian smiling as they followed him out of the room. He saw Milo go up beside a gurney being pulled down the hall fast, the paramedics called out numbers and Milo looked down at the boy on the stretcher. 

“Time to go to work people.” Milo called out pulling the gurney into the middle of a big room. The little boy had his eyes closed and his face was smeared with blood.

Mickey watched as Milo checked out the boy with clear eyes and called out to the nurses including the woman who went in to wake him up. She put a needle in his little arm with sad eyes and taped the needle down. 

Milo stood at the head of the bed and pulled the collar off from around the boys neck and pushed his hand under his hair. 

“Neck’s clear.” Milo said. 

“That’s a miracle.” The nurse said. 

Milo hissed and ran his hand over the boys dark hair. 

“Head lac.” Milo said. “Not deep. Can you clean this up Mary.” 

“On it.” Mary said. 

The boy moaned a little from the bed and turned his head. 

“Hey.” Milo said in a low voice looking down at the boy, the boys eyes opened slowly. 

“Hi.” Milo said. 

The boy stiffened up and Milo put his hand up. 

“It’s alright.” Milo said. “You’re in the hospital.” 

The boy’s eyes darted around. 

“Take a nice deep breath.” Milo said and took a breath in, the boy took in a breath and Milo smiled. 

“Good.” Milo said. “Can you tell me you name?”

Milo waited but the boy didn’t answer him. 

“My name is Milo.” Milo said to the boy. 

The boy blinked at Milo. 

“I know right?” Milo said with a grin above the boys head. “It’s a funny name and it’s a great story. “

“It is.” He said smiling. They watched Milo as he walked around the bed and sat down on a little stool, he started talking with his eyes lit up and the boy started to relax. 

“…and then there was the time a purple dinosaur came into my room, I kept him for a while.” Milo said.

The boy smiled a little. 

“But outgrew his bed.” Milo said. “I let him go into the wild.”

The boy smile widened. 

“He comes to visit when he can, he a very busy guy. “ Milo said and sighed. 

“Don’t believe a word he says.” Mary said to the boy as she walked past them.

Milo sputtered and Mary smiled at the boy as she sat at the head of the bed. 

“We’re going to take some really cool pictures of your insides.” Milo said. 

“Will it hurt?” The boy asked. 

“No.” Milo said. “Not at all.”

The boy nodded and closed his eyes. Mickey saw the anger and pain in Milo’s eyes as he looked down at the boy. 

Milo pulled the blankets up over the boy carefully, Mickey watched Milo watch over the boy with pride, he knew Milo was smart but a doctor? Milo had never said anything about becoming a doctor. 

“How did this happen?” He said 

Ian shushed him.

Mickey opened his eyes wide glaring at Ian but he was ignoring him, Mickey saw the wide door swing open and a guy about Milo’s age walked in briskly, he had short neat light brown hair and dark eyes,he wore a white coat over a dress shirt and a light blue tie around his neck.

“Do you need a help in here?” 

Milo lifted one eyebrow at the guy. 

“I’m covering the ER for surgery." 

“Uh huh.” Milo said. 

“Are you Mitovenich?” The guy said and picked up the chart at the end of the bed and flipped it open.

“Mita-what? Milo said. 

“Your name.” The guy said flipping the pages on the chart. 

“Milkovich.” Milo said. 

“Milkalvich, Milkalvoch, I know that name.” The guy said saying the name all different types of wrong.

“If you can’t handle it, Milo works too.” Milo said. 

“Milo?” The guy said. “That’s your name? Is that short for something?”

Milo stared at the other guy with cold blue eyes, Mickey laughed pushing a hand over his mouth. 

The guy flipped the pages of the chart down and walked up next to Milo, he reached a hand out over the boy and the boys eyes went wide. Milo deftly lifted the guys hand and pushed it up into the air. 

“And we’re not doing that.” Milo said casually. 

The other guy lifted his hand up and Milo turned on the little stool and smiled at him. 

“You’re the new guy right?” Milo asked. 

“Yes.” The other guy said. 

“What’s your name? Milo said waving a hand. “Dick or somethin’?”

Mickey laughed and Ian giggled beside him, the guys face fell.

“Johnson.” The other guy said. 

“Dick Johnson?” Milo said and turned his little stood back to the boy. 

“Now that’s a funny name.” Milo said nodding down at the boy.

Mary laughed quietly from the head of the bed. 

“No.” Johnson said. “It’s Tyler.”

“Ohhh Tyler.” Milo said nodding. 

“This is Tyler.” Milo said to the boy on the bed.

Tyler stood frozen and blinked at the boy like he had no idea the kid had even been in the room up until that point. Milo waved a hand up shaking his head and let his hand fall over the railing of the gurney with a ‘What the fuck?’ look on his face. 

“HA!” Ian said. “Just like you.”

“I know right?!” He said. 

A big machine was wheeled into the room and Milo stood next to the boy as the machine whirled and clicked. 

Milo smiled down at the boy as the machine rolled away. 

“That didn’t hurt did it?” Milo said. 

The boy shook his head. 

“Dr. Tyler.” Milo said. 

Tyler’s eyes widened and Milo waved to him. Tyler followed Milo to a computer and started typing. 

“My first name is Tyler.” Tyler said as he came up next to Milo.

“Mm hmm.” Milo murmured. 

Mickey laughed as Milo ignored Tyler and clicked the mouse pad looking at the screen. 

“Aw man.” Milo said quietly. 

“Blood in the belly.” Tyler said leaning into the screen. 

“Ya.” Milo said and turned around with a grimace on his face.

“I can take him up to surgery.” Tyler said with a beaming smile. 

“Not yet.” Milo said lifting his hand to his chin. “Kids can be tricky. I want one more test just to be sure.”

“Right.” Tyler said looking defeated. 

Milo walked to the side of the bed and put his hand gently on the boys shoulder, the boys eyes opened. 

“Hey.” Milo said with a smile. “I have someone I want you to meet.”

The boy wrapped hand into the blanket. 

Milo pulled out his phone, his fingers flew over the phone and he flashed a smile at the boy.

Tyler pullied out a pen and chewed on it watching Milo pretending he was reading the chart. Milo told the boy some more crazy silly stories and the boy started smiling more and more. 

The door opened and a dark haired beauty walked into the room with a white doctor’s coat over her light blue scrubs and smiled a beautiful smile directly at the boy on the bed. Mickey saw a perfect mix of Luke and Louisa in the woman who walked through the door. 

“Yes!” He called out as his heart leapt up in his chest. “I fucking knew it!” 

Ian laughed beside him leaning forward. 

Mikayla was an inch or two shorter than him and Mickey realized she was about Marjorie’s height and she had the same delicate bone structure and elegance. Her wild hair was pulled back neatly in a tie and her light blue eyes were kind as she walked over to the bed. 

“Hi there.” Mikayla said smiling down at the boy. 

“This is Mikayla.” Milo said. 

“It’s nice to meet you.” Mikayla said. “What’s your name?’

“He won’t…” Tyler started. 

“Derek.” The boy said. Tyler looked back down at the chart in his hands and Milo smirked. 

“Hi Derek.” Mikayla said and pulled a stool over across the room and sat down next to the bed. 

“Milo said your tummy hurts a little?” Mikayla said. 

Derek nodded his head down. 

“We’re going to help you with that OK?” Mikayla said. 

“OK.” Derek said. 

The nurse pushed over a table with a monitor on it. 

“This crazy looking thing is an ultrasound.” Mikayla said. 

Derek looked at it as Mikayla lifted the end. 

“It can look inside you and see though you.” Mikayla said.

“Really?” Derek said. 

“Really.” Mikayla said. “It has special powers.”

Derek smiled. 

“This part goes against your skin and it sends the pictures back to the screen.” Mikayla said pointing to the machine. 

The nurse handed Mikayla a bottle. 

“This stuff is just so we can see better.” Mikayla said. 

“It won’t hurt at all.” Milo said. “Promise.”

Derek nodded and took a deep breath. 

“Can you lift up your shirt just a little so I can get a better look?”

Derek pulled down the blanket and lifted up his shirt up, his chest and stomach were bruised, Mikayla’s eyes flashed for a heartbeat and she smiled at Derek. 

“This is going to feel a little squishy.” Mikayla said and squirted the clear gel over his stomach. 

“Now we watch the show.” Mikayla said putting the end down on Derek’s skin. Derek turned his head and his dark eyes widened as the picture started on the screen. 

“How cool is that huh?” Milo said. 

Derek nodded and Mikayla’s eyes went to the screen and inspected the picture. 

“See that’s your spleen and your liver.” Mikayla said pointing at the screen. 

“There’s the blood.” Tyler called out. 

Derek’s eyes widened and he lifted his head from the pillow as his eyes darting between Milo and Mikayla. 

Mikayla lifted her free hand and held it over Derek’s on the bed. Milo shot Tyler a hard look as Derek’s head went back onto the pillow and he looked back at the screen. 

“It’s gonna be alight bud.” Milo said moving his hand over Derek’s shoulder. 

Mikayla lifted the end of the ultrasound and lowered it to the table, her other hand was still over Derek’s and he had latched onto it. 

“The machine that sees inside of you shows that your tummy hurts because you have some blood that’s not supposed to be there.” Mikayla said. 

Derek looked up at Milo. 

“But we can take it out just like that.” Milo said snapping her fingers. 

“With the machine? “ Derek asked.

“No not a machine.” Mikayla said. “I will.”

“She has the special powers.” Milo said. 

Derek’s eyes widened on Mikayla and she smiled down at him. 

“We’re going to give you something to make you sleepy and when you wake up you’ll feel much better.” Mikayla said. 

“Will you be there?” Derek asked quietly. 

“Yes.” Mikayla said with a sweet smile. 

The nurse pushed another needle into the IV and Derek kept his eyes on Mikayla as they started to close, Mikayla rubbed the back of his hand with her thumb. 

Derek’s eyes drifted closed and his head fell deeper into the pillow. 

“He’s out.” Milo said and stood up. 

Mikayla took a deep breath and glared across the room at Tyler. Mickey felt her anger across the room. 

“Who’s this guy?!” Mikayla called out as she stood up. 

Mickey laughed as Ian snorted shaking his head. 

“New guy, Mikayla. Mikayla, new guy.” Milo said waving his hand between them.

“Tyler.” Tyler said. 

“Whatever.” Mikayla said glaring at Tyler. “When a kid comes in here scared and alone, you should try to NOT scare him more OK?”

Tyler nodded his head down and his eyes dropped to the floor. Mikayla let out a long breath and turned to Milo. 

“Parents.” Mikayla said. 

Milo shook his head, Mikayla pulled the chart from Tyler’s hands. 

“Thank you.” Mikayla said and turned it around. Milo stuck a pen out and Mikayla scribbled on the chart and handed it to Mllo, Milo signed it and handed it back to Mikayla. 

“Did you call your Mom?” Mikayla said. 

“Not yet.” Milo said. 

“Are you..?” Tyler started. 

Milo and Mikayla both looked at him.

“Together?” Tyler said waving his pen back and forth in the air. 

“No.” Milo said with a hard laugh.

“We’re cousins.” Mikayla said. 

“Oh.” Tyler said. “Wait? Milkovich?” 

Milo nodded and a bright smile spread over his face as the blood started to go out of Tyler’s face. 

“Gallagher.” Tyler said to Mikayla. 

“That’s right new guy.” Mikayla said. 

Tyler’s face fell and turned white. 

Mikayla walked to the bed and pushed her foot down on a peddle, the nurses went around the bed and started pushed the gurney out of the room. 

“Why don’t you teach the new guy some manners Milo?!” Mikayla said with a bright smile. 

“I can try.” Milo said waving his hands out and shoving them in his doctor jacket pockets. 

“Later new guy.” Mikayla said as she walked by Tyler. 

Mickey watched Mikayla roll the gurney out of the room with a huge smile on his face. 

“Shit.” Tyler said. 

Milo walked through the open door and into the dark room he had been sleeping in. 

“She’s your cousin?” Tyler said following Milo.

“Yeah?!” Milo said shooting a dirty look over his shoulder and pulled the stethoscope from his neck. 

“But she’s…” Tyler said. “I can’t…New guy?” 

“Why don’t you try English?” Milo said and shoved the stethoscope in the doctor coat and pulled it off. 

Tyler put his hand up and huffed out a breath. “That’s Mikayla Milkovich Gallagher?!” 

“Yeeep.” Milo said hanging his coat on the light fixture

“She’s the talk of the surgical department!” Tyler said. 

“Yeeep.” Milo said sitting on the bed. 

‘She’s a resident.” Tyler said. 

“Yeeeep.” Milo said as he pushed a hand over his face yawning hugely. 

“She’s in line to be the next attending.” Tyler said. “At like..what..24?!” 

“Yeeep.” Milo said nodding. 

“Oh my God!” Tyler said. “She called me NEW GUY?!”

Milo snorted out a laugh. 

“I blew it on my first day?!” Tyler said. 

“Nah man.” Milo said. 

“NAHHH?” Tyler said with his eyes going a little wild. 

Milo’s eyes widened and he put his hands up. “Mikayla just has a soft spot for kids.” 

Tyler growled and paced waving his arms around wildly.

“Hey man.” Milo said watching him pace. “Don’t worry about it. Just remember the patient comes first, not the medicine.” 

Tyler paced across the room and stopped. 

“Yeah.” Tyler said dropping his hands to his sides. 

“It takes time.” Milo said. 

Tyler let out a breath. “I’m sorry about what I said about your name.”

Milo shrugged and swung his feet through the air with his hands in his lap. 

“Milo Milkovich?” Tyler said. “Mikayla Milkovich.”

“Gallagher ya.” Milo said and flashed a smile at Tyler. 

“That’s a lot of M’s.” Tyler said with a slow smile. 

“Mm hmm.” Milo murmured with a smirk. 

“About your cousin.” Tyler said. 

Milo’s eyes narrowed and his feet stopped swinging. 

“What about her?” Milo said. 

“Well…” Tyler started. 

“Don’t get any ideas man.” Milo shot out. 

“What?” Tyler said. “Oh no nothing like that.”

Milo twisted his mouth up with his eyes still narrowed. 

“Is there a way I can get on her good side?” Tyler asked with a wain smile. 

“Ya.” Milo said and smiled. 

Tyler waited and Milo tilted his head. Tyler smiled and let out a laugh. 

“Alright.” Tyler said. “Figure it out myself huh?”

“You’re a smart one.” Milo said and leaned over lifting his foot up, he untied a lace and pulled them loose. 

“And about the other thing, she’s not my type at all.” Tyler said. 

Milo glanced up at Tyler with a hard look. “I don’t hear that a lot.” Milo said. 

“She’s not.” Tyler said and smiled. 

“Hmph.” Milo grunted and pulled his boots off. 

“You would be more my type.” Tyler said. 

The boots dropped to the floor, Mickey saw Milo’s face change and he sat up slowly. Mickey tilted his head. 

“Oh ya?” Milo said quietly. 

Tyler nodded with his eyes on Milo and Mickey watched Milo smile a wicked smile and bite his bottom lip. Mickey knew that look, he had seen it on his own face, his head went back and Ian laughed bedside him.

“Are you shittin me?” He shot out. 

Ian shrugged and smiled down at him with his eyes sparkling. Mickey turned back to Milo and he was eying Tyler carefully. 

“What time are you off tonight?” Milo asked lifting his chin up. 

“Seven.” Tyler said. 

“You like music?” Milo asked. 

“Yeah.” Tyler said with a nod and a smile.

“Cool.” Milo said and went back onto the bed and pulled the blankets over himself. 

“Meet me back here at six.” Milo said with a wicked smile and a glint in his eye. 

Tyler put his head down and smiled, Mickey’s mouth was hanging open as Tyler walked out of the room closing the door behind him. He swung his arm out and punched Ian. 

“OW.” Ian said lifting his hand to his chest. “Jesus!”

“What the fuck just happened?” He shot out.

“Your grandson made a date.” Ian said tilting his head. 

“Ya I fucking saw that!” Mickey said. 

“Then what are you not getting?” Ian said. 

Milo let out a little laugh Mickey shook his head widening his eyes. Milo pulled the blankets up around him and closed his eyes with a smile still on his face.

“How did I not fucking know this?” Mickey said. 

“He kept it to himself.” Ian said. 

“Why?” He said whipping his hand up. 

“I don’t know if he was sure.”

Mickey waved his hand up higher and let it drop. 

“He could have talked to me.” He said as his heart sank. 

“He didn’t tell anyone except Mikayla for a long time.” Ian said. 

“Did he get shit for it?” He hissed out. 

Ian shook his head. “Not like we did.”

Mickey chewed on his lip.

“He dated girls!?” He said. “There was that really crazy one with all the teeth.” 

“Ya!” Ian said. “So did you!” 

“Whatever.” He said waving his arms out.

Ian rolled his eyes and scowled at him. 

“Seriously?” He said. 

“Yeeep.” Ian said. 

Mickey snorted out a laugh, he shook his head and walked over to the bed smiling down at Milo, he lifted his hand to Milo shoulder. He saw Milo sleeping but he was in a different bed. 

“He’s dreaming.” Ian said putting his hands in his pockets as he walked up beside him. 

“He’s dreaming about sleeping?” He said. 

“Yeah.” Ian said with a laugh. 

Mickey chuckled and saw Milo in a huge bed, he felt the bliss come from him and laughed rolling his eyes up. 

“Man I love you.” He said with a smile. 

Milo smiled in his sleep in the dream and in front of him. 

Ian chuckled beside him. 

“A doctor.” He said. 

“Hmph.” Milo said and pushed his head into the pillow. “Sleepin’.”

Mickey laughed and Ian shook his head smiling. 

“I’m proud of you.” He said. 

“Thanks Dedushka.” Milo said and smiled with his eyes closed. 

Mickey smiled and Milo’s eyes opened in the dream and he smiled up at him rubbing his eye.

“I love you too.” Milo said and sank back into the pillows closing his eyes. 

Ian put his arm around his shoulder and leaned into him. Mickey lifted his hand away from Milo’s shoulder. Ian ran his hand over his arm and they stood in the dim light watching Milo sleep. Milo was full of fire and mischief and all of it was heart. 

“Come on.” Ian said and kissed his head. 

Ian guided him to the door, they walked out of the room and saw Tyler at the desk with a sly smile on his face. Mickey narrowed his eyes. 

“He better be good enough for him.” Mickey said pointing a finger at Tyler. 

Ian rolled his eyes and Mickey looked over his shoulder scowling at Tyler as they walked into an elevator. The people around them stared at the doors and Mickey lifted his hand and waved it in front a man’s face, the man didn’t react. 

“HA!” He called out. 

“Will you stop!?” Ian said. 

Mickey shrugged and crossed his arms over his chest.


	6. Chapter 6

The elevator doors opened and they walked into a large area with lots of big windows. Mickey saw Derek lying on a gurney and they turned the corner into the room. Mikayla sat next to the bed with her hair under a light blue cap, she wrote in the chart and lifted her hand over Derek’s and adjusted the little monitor on his finger, the machines beeped and Mikayla looked up at the machines and wrote some more. 

Derek’s eyes started to open and Mikayla smiled at him lifting her hand to his. 

“Hey.” Mikayla said holding his hand. “It’s all over.” 

Derek eyes blinked open a little.

“Tired?” Mikayla said. 

Derek nodded his head down. 

“You just sleep for a while.” Mikayla said. 

Derek closed his eyes and turned his head toward Mikayla. 

Mikayla smiled and held his hand as Derek fell back asleep. 

Mickey smiled watching her, she was as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside. 

“This is awesome.” He said quietly. 

“Ya it is.” Ian said. 

“Is Matthew like a lawyer or somethin’?” He asked. 

Ian laughed throwing his head back. 

“What?” He said. 

Ian laughed and shook his head. 

“OK?!” He said with a shrug. “Don’t tell me he’s a fucking cop!?”

“No.” Ian said laughing and shaking his head. 

“That’s good anyway.” He said. 

“Mikayla.” A nurse whispered as she walked into the room. 

“Yeah.” Mikayla whispered looking over her shoulder. 

“Didn’t you have that big thing tonight?” The nurse said. 

“Oh shoot.” Mikayla whispered lifting her hand and looking at her watch. 

The nurse walked over and Mikayla handed her the chart as she stood up sliding her hand over her hair and pulling off her cap, her hair fell down in the ponytail onto her back. 

“I’m so late.” Mikayla whispered. “Jacobs is on call but if you need me call me.” 

“He’ll be out all night don’t worry.” The nurse said standing next to Derek’s bed. “Go have fun.”

Mikayla waved and rushed out of the room. 

“We’re following her.” Ian said pulling his hand. 

Mickey followed Mikayla as she walked quickly through the halls and slammed into a room. Ian stopped and put his hand up. 

“We can’t go in there.” Ian said. 

The door said Woman’s Locker Room. 

“Nope.” He said. 

“But I can do this.” Ian said and snapped his fingers. 

The door opened and Mikayla came out, her hair was down and all over the place, she had on jeans, boots and a black shirt, she pulled a denim jacket on as she walked down the hall and swung a black purse over her shoulder. They walked behind her as she rushed out, people called to her and Mikayla waved and smiled moving fast. 

She went out the big glass doors and started jogging in her black high heeled boots. 

“So late, so late.” Mikayla chanted as she ran. “I can make it, no I can’t, I can make the end, yes, that’s good.” 

Mikayla held out her keys and there was a beep from a little silver car, she ran to it and pulled open the door, she got in and threw her purse on the seat next to her. 

“Hey!” He called out as the engine started. “She’s leaving without us!” 

Ian rolled his eyes and shoved his arm as the car zoomed away. Ian grabbed his hand and they started walking through the parking lot, more cars appeared and he heard thundering music coming from the enormous building in front of them, he saw Mikayla’s little silver car come up fast into the parking lot and pull into a spot. 

“Cool trick.” He said and Ian waved a hand up tilting his head. 

Mikayla slammed the car door and pulled her purse over her shoulder, she jogged through the parking lot, they followed her and the music got louder, she ran up to a man in a yellow vest with reflectors on it standing outside a big door and the music got louder. 

“Hi.” Mikayla said running up. 

The man looked Mikayla over as she caught her breath and pulled open her purse, she pulled out a ticket and held it out. 

“Doors are closed.” The man said. 

“I know.” Mikayla said. “I’m really late.” 

“I can’t let you in.” The guy said. 

“Yes you can.” Mikayla said and waved her ticket. 

“No.” The guy said. “I really can’t.” 

“My cousin is in there.” Mikayla said waving her ticket at the building.

“Good for him.” The guy said in a nasty way. 

Mikayla’s eyes narrowed and she turned her head. 

“Oh really?!” Mikayla said. “Well if you’re gonna be a dick about it.”

The guy smirked, Mikayla turned on her heel stuffing her ticket in her purse, Mickey glared at the guy as they followed Mikayla, she grumbled as she walked. 

“Stupid prick!” Mikayla said. 

Mikayla waved her hands up and crossed her arms as her boots tapped on the concrete. 

“What a dick!” Mikayla said. 

Mikayla stopped and looked around, her eyes narrowed as she dropped her arms to her sides, she stalked over to the chain link fence and looked up. 

“What’s she doin?” Mickey said. 

“GO FOR IT MIKAYLA!” Ian called out.

Mikayla lifted her purse over her head to her other shoulder and put her fingers and the tip of her boot in the chain link fence, she boosted herself up and started climbing. 

“HEY!” Came from across the parking lot. 

“Oh shit.” He said. The guy was running across the parking lot. Mikayla climbed up and went over the top, she put her boot in the link of the fence on the other side and started climbing down, she let go and jumped the rest of the way. 

Mikayla flipped the guy off as he ran up to the fence. 

Mickey giggled as Mikayla whipped around and stormed away.

“HEY!” The guy called out. “Get back here!”

“That’s our girl.” Ian said. 

“Yeah.” He said with a smile. 

The guy pushed at the fence and it rattled. 

Everything went dark around, there were lights flashing and everything vibrated with sound, he saw Mikayla’s hair in the lights and Ian grabbed his hand, they started following her weaving their way forward through the masses of people

Mickey looked toward the stage and a band was playing hard and heavy, Mikayla stopped and looked around, they went almost at the front of the stage, Mikayla waved her arm wildly and Mickey saw Milo’s face in the glow of the lights, he smiled and Mikayla pushed her way through people until she came up to him, he had his arms out and she walked into them. The music on stage stopped and a wave of screams and cheers went up. 

“YOU MADE IT!” Milo yelled out pulling his head back. 

Mikayla nodded and looked up at the stage with a bright beaming smile, she looked back at Milo. 

“NEW GUY!” Mikayla called out to Tyler and smiled. 

Tyler nodded and Mikayla laughed patting his arm. 

There was a blast of guitar from the stage, Mikayla screamed and jumped waving her arms out. Milo screamed next to her as the music pounded through the enormous arena, the band rocked hard as the lights flashed on and off, the band looked frozen with the lights. The strobing sped up with the music and a huge wall of sound exploded onstage as the lights went up. The lead singer stood with his legs braced out wide and his hair falling over his face, they were close enough for him to see his tattoo covered arms and he was playing a low slug guitar. There was a wave of raaaahhhhh from the crowd and everyone jumped up and down screaming. 

Ian banged his head around and he lifted his eyebrows, Ian just kept on banging. 

The lead singer growled into the microphone, Milo and Mikayla screamed out the lyrics with the rest of the crowd. It was heavy metal at its best, brutal and sharp, all about death and destruction. 

Mickey sighed feeling perfectly happy. 

Milo head banged to the music and Mikayla put her arms up with her fingers in the devils horn signs and her wild hair flew as she banged her head forward. 

Mickey laughed and the music pounded through him, there were two long drum rolls and a high guitar, the lead singer pulled his guitar up and hit the stings hard with his hair falling forward and the crowd exploded with a wave of screaming. Tyler called out clapping and Mickey smirked, he better like heavy metal if he was going to hang out with Milo. 

The lead singer pushed his fingers into his hair and the shirtless long haired drummer stood up lifting one arm up high, Mikayla screamed her head off and Milo whistled through his teeth. The lead singer pushed his guitar back running to the front of the big stage, he threw his guitar picks into the crowd, the crowd lurched forward to catch them. The stage went dark and the crowd screamed stomping their feet. 

Mikayla turned around and pushed her way through the sweaty people. Milo pulled on Tyler’s arm and they followed her. Mickey held onto Ian as they moved through the crowd, there was a break in the swarm and the darkness lit up around them, the white concrete floors of the concert arena turned light brown and they were walking on carpet. The people disappeared and they there walking down a long wide hallway. 

There were rooms on either side of the hall and Mikayla sped up as she walked toward a room, she stopped at a door and turned the knob. Mickey twisted up his face to Ian. Mikayla put her head through the door and rushed in. Milo was smiling from ear to ear and pulled Tyler with him as he went through the door. Mickey walked into the room just in time to see Mikayla jump into some guy’s arms, he picked her up off of her feet and she clung to him with her feet dangling in the air. 

Mickey saw his arms were covered with tattoos and his head went back. 

“Who the fuck is that?!” He hissed out stalking toward them. ‘Is this the singer guy?” He said glaring at Ian. 

“Yeah it is.” Ian said rocking back and forth on his heels. 

Mickey looked him over as Mikayla hugged him, he worked his jaw out and hissed, his tattooed arms had black bands of leather across both wrists and he was wearing black jeans and boots and a gray t-shirt with the sleeves cut off. The tattoo guy lifted his head and Mikayla kissed his cheek through his hair. Mickey narrowed his eyes and took a step toward him. 

“You made it!” The guy said. 

“Of course I did” Mikayla said. 

“She was late.” Milo said. 

The guy looked up at Milo with surprise and Mickey saw a smile break out on his face, his heart jumped as the dimples appeared. 

“Holy fucking shit.” He said quietly. 

Matthew smiled at Milo and Mikayla pushed his hair away from his face, Mickey saw his big dark blue eyes and shook his head bringing his hand up to his mouth. 

“Hey little one.” Milo said in Russian. He had heard them call Matthew little one so many times he knew it when he heard it. 

“Hey!” Matthew said putting his arm out, Mikayla beamed and Matthew hugged Milo with a big smile on his face. 

“Aw man, it’s good to see you.” Matthew said. 

Matthew pulled back and smiled down at Milo. Matthew was almost a head taller than Milo, his long dark went down past his shoulders and his cut off sleeved gray t-shirt showed his long winding muscles down his tattooed arms

Mickey waved his hand out with his mouth open. Matthew was pudgy and short with glasses the last time he saw him. 

“WHAT THE?!?!” He called out. 

“He’s kind of a rock star.” Ian said with a big bright smile. 

“Nu uh!” He said. 

“Uh huh.” Ian said. 

Mickey looked around and there were people everywhere, The half-naked drummer was still just in a little pair of shorts and walking around with his drum sticks in his hands. Lines of tables with drinks and food lined the walls and there were woman who were draped over men and woman. 

“Hey man.” Matthew said to Tyler. 

Tyler stood frozen with his mouth open. Matthew smiled and put his hand out. 

“Uhhh hi.” Tyler said and took Matthews hand. 

“This is Tyler.” Milo said. “My brother Mathew.” 

“New guy.” Mikayla said smiling brightly. 

“Hi new guy.” Matthew said with a teasing smile. 

Tyler put his hand on his head and Milo put his arm around his waist, Matthew’s eyes lit up. 

“New guy as in Milo’s new guy?” Matthew asked. 

“Maybe.” Milo said with a shrug and a smile. 

“Cool.” Matthew said taking his hand from Tyler’s and wrapping his arm around Mikayla’s neck. 

“That was a really great show.” Tyler said. 

“Thanks man.” Matthew said and shifted his eyes to Milos and lifted his eyebrows. 

Milo’s eyes sparkled and Matthew nodded with a smile. 

“It was awesome.” Mikayla said nodding. 

“It really was man.” Milo said. 

“Thanks.” Matthew said and Mickey saw his eyes fill with pride and love. 

“You guys want anything? There’s pretty much everything around here.” Matthew said waving his hand toward the tables. 

Milo looked around the room and nodded. “Ya, I’ll get a couple beers.”

“I’ll come with you.” Tyler said. 

Mikayla laughed a wicked laugh as she watched Tyler run after Milo. 

“He didn’t tell him.” Mikayla said from under Matthew arm.

“It’s Milo.” Matthew said with wide eyes and a smile. “How are you?”

“I’m good!” Mikayla said beaming. 

“You look good.” Matthew said lifting a hand over her hair. “I missed you guys.”

“We missed you too.”

Milo and Tyler came back and handed beers to Matthew and Mikayla. 

“Thanks.” Matthew said smiling at Tyler who blushed shifting his eyes away. 

“Welcome home.” Milo said lifting his beer. 

Matthew tapped Milos’s beer and nodded, he took a drink and lowered his beer. 

“They’ve been on the road a year.” Milo said to Tyler. 

“Oh wow.” Tyler said. 

“It’s been a long year.” Matthew said. “It was good but long.”

“You have one more show?” Mikayla said. 

“Ya.” Matthew said. “Then its home for a few months.”

“Mom can’t wait, she’s been driving us nuts counting the days.” Milo said. 

Mickey watched a woman eye Matthew with blatant interest as she slithered by, her eyes hardened on Mikayla and Matthew smiled as Milo rolled his eyes. 

“It’s like fish in a barrel.” Milo said shaking his head. 

“It’s the tattoos.” Matthew said and stuck his tongue in his teeth, Mickey saw himself in Matthews sparkling smile. 

“Or your face.” Mikayla said. “Or your ridiculous talent.” 

Matthew laughed and pushed his hand over Mikayla’s hair. 

“The whole rock star thing works too.” Milo said. 

Matthew’s eyebrow shot up as he face fell, he gave Milo a long dark stare, Mickey shot out a laugh, that was an Ian look. 

Milo smiled and his blue eyes sparkled with mischief “But you never had a problem getting girls before all this.”

“Ya.” Mikayla said rolling her eyes up. “I think my friends mostly hung out with me to get to you guys.” 

Milo and Matthew laughed. 

“How many do you have?” Tyler said and they all looked at him widening their eyes. “Tattoo’s I mean.” Tyler said quickly. 

“I have no idea.” Matthew said lifting his arm up “One I guess, they’re all connected.” 

“He got the first one when he was 16.” Milo said and took a drink.

Matthew laughed and took a drink smiling around his beer. 

“It was Milo’s fault.” Mikayla said smiling. 

“Me?” Milo said. “How was that my fault?”

“HA!” Matthew called out. 

Mikayla sputtered and Milo lifted his hands out. 

“Hey you were the one who begged me to take you.” Milo said. 

Matthew shook his head and took a drink smiling. 

“AND you were the one who POOF had a fake ID all ready.” Milo said. 

Matthew laughed with his blue eyes sparkling. 

“See WE..” Milo said to Tyler waving a hand to Mikayla. “Were going to get tattoos and this one…” Milo said pointing to Matthew.”..gets it into his head he wants one too.” 

Mikayla nodded with a bright smile. 

“Then he flashes his big blue eyes at us and what are we gonna do?” Milo said. 

“It’s true.” Matthew said shrugging a shoulder up. “I have that whole little brother thing goin’ on.” 

“Mm hm.” Ian said beside him. 

“Wrapped.” He said nodding. 

“It was a HELLISH few months keeping it from our mother, he kept forgetting to cover it.” Milo said.

Matthew laughed and lifted his wrist covered in a leather band. “It’s covered.”

Milo rolled his eyes and smirked at Matthew. 

“Did you get in trouble?” Tyler asked with a smile.

Milo stared at Tyler hard. “Did I get in trouble?” 

Mikayla and Matthew giggled and Milo glared at them. 

“My mother didn’t speak to me for weeks.” Milo said. 

“It was rough.” Matthew said. 

“Torture.” Mikayla said as Milo shook his head. 

“Milo would follow her around apologizing. Poor guy.” Matthew said lifting his hand and grabbing Milo’s shoulder. 

“What was the tattoo?” Tyler said. 

Milo smiled and switched his beer into his other hand, he lifted his long shirt sleeve and Mickey saw musical notes in a rusty red color tattooed across his wrist, he turned his hand and there was an M with a little 1 next to it on the inside of his wrist. Mikayla lifted her jean jacket as Matthew unsnapped the leather strap around his wrist, Mikayla’s wrist had a line of bright different colored musical notes and there was an identical M with a little 2 next to in the same place on the inside of her wrist. Matthew’s musical notes wrapping around his wrist were black and he had a little 3 next to his M. 

They all smiled holding their wrists out. 

“All the little M’s.” He said quietly. 

Ian put his arm around his shoulder and kissed his head. 

“That’s so cool.” Tyler said looking down at their wrists. “Is it the same song?”

“It’s kind of our family song.” Mikayla said. 

“Do you have more?” Tyler asked Milo. 

“You’ll just have to look.” Milo said with a quick smile pushing his sleeve down. 

Mickey threw his hand up. Ian laughed holding onto him. 

“Matthew!” He heard. 

“Ya!” Matthew called out looking toward the door. 

A man stood in the doorway with a headset on and waved as the other band members filed through the open door. 

“Gotta go.” Matthew said with a smile. 

“Aww man.” Mikayla said. 

Matthew smiled and hugged her, Mikayla pushed her head into his shoulder and pouted. 

“I’ll see you soon.” Matthew said. 

Mikayla nodded against Matthews shoulder. 

Matthew opened his arms wide and Milo hugged him with a beer in his hand. 

“Later.” Milo said with a smile as Matthew pulled away and pushed his hair back. 

“Good to meet you Tyler.” Matthew said and shook Tyler’s hand. 

“You too.” Tyler said. 

Matthew walked toward the man in the headset and looked over his shoulder. 

“One.” Matthew said. 

Milo nodded his chin out to Matthew and said two in Russian. 

“Three.” Mikayla said with a smile. 

Mickey remembered the song the three of them had played together since Matthew was a baby. “You can count on me, like 1, 2, 3 and I’ll be there.” 

Matthew smiled and turned toward the man in the headset, Mikayla put her arms through Milo’s and he lifted his arm around her neck. Matthew looked over at them with a ‘Here we go.’ look on his face and walked through the door, there were flashing lights and whistles that cut off like a switch when the guy in the headset closed the door. 

“You didn’t tell me HE was your brother.” Tyler said.

Milo turned around scowling at Tyler, he shrugged lifting his arm from Mikayla’s shoulder and started for the door. Mikayla stepped up to Tyler. 

“You hurt Milo and I kill you.” Mikayla said with eyes of steel. 

Mickey nodded as Ian laughed. 

“I won’t.” Tyler said quickly. “I like him.”

“Good.” Mikayla said and smiled. “Come on new guy.” 

Mikayla started walking to the door. Tyler sighed and followed her. 

Ian was walking in the other direction, Mickey did a double take toward the door Mikayla was walking out of and followed Ian. 

“Where we goin?” He called out to Ian. 

Ian walked through the door and Mickey followed him from a dark room into the light of early morning. There was a big unmade bed against the wall and clothes thrown around the spacious room. Ian stopped inside the door and Mickey walked up next to him, Matthew was walking through the room in jeans, a t-shirt and stocking feet pushing a towel over his hair. Matthew threw the towel on the messy bed behind him and pushed his hair back in both hands. 

“How old is he?” He asked. 

“21.” Ian said smiling at Matthew. 

Mickey smiled crossing his arms. Matthew pulled his hair back into a tie and pulled it tight, he walked to the dresser and pulled on a pair of black framed glasses. 

“There he is.” He said. 

Ian nodded beside him and put his arm around his shoulder, Matthew pulled on a pair of sneakers and a sweatshirt, he zipped it up and lifted the hood up over his head, he grabbed a set of keys from the dresser and headed for the door. 

Mickey slid out from under Ian’s arm catching his hand and they followed Matthew into the hall. Matthew closed the door and stuffed his hands in his sweatshirt pocket and walked to the end of the hall where a big guy in a dark suit stood with his hand together. Matthew smiled and walked up next to him. 

Matthew looked right and left down the long empty hallway, the big guy stood still like a statue. 

“All clear?” Matthew said. 

The big guy looked down at Matthew and his broke out into a big smile. 

“Good morning Matthew.” The big guy said. 

“Morning.” Matthew said brightly.

“It’s pretty early for you.” The guy said. 

“I couldn’t sleep.” Matthew said. 

The big guy nodded. “Happy to be home?” 

“Ya.” Matthew said with a big smile. 

The man’s eyes softened and he smiled putting his big hand on Matthews shoulder. 

“You going to be alright.” The big guy asked. 

“Ya.” Matthew said. “I’m going all Clark Kent.”

Matthew put his hand up to his glasses and smiled a wicked smile.

The big man smiled and Matthew put his fist out, the big guy hit his fist to Matthews as he turned down the hall. 

“Later Superman.” The big guy called out. 

“Later.” Matthew called out. 

They followed him to the elevator. Matthew leaned against the wall and put one foot up behind him. He looked like a different person than the one he had seen last night, now he looked like Matthew. 

The elevator doors opened and Matthew pushed himself off of the wall, he put his head down and walked out at a steady pace. Mickey looked around and there were people, mostly woman hanging around the lobby, he saw a couple of people with cameras around their necks. Matthew walked through them all with his chin down walking right past them. 

Mickey and Ian followed him until they reached the door, Matthew smiled as he pushed the door open. 

“Clark Kent is right.” He said. 

“Totally incognito.” Ian said. 

“Smart kid.” He said. 

They followed Matthew to the L, people barely looked at Matthew in his old jeans and sweatshirt. Matthew took a seat and put his head back on the glass, Ian sat down opposite Matthew and Mickey took the empty seat next to him. Matthew looked out the window as the car started to move and Mickey watched the light shine over his face, the little boy was gone and he was a man now. 

“Where’s he goin?” He said. 

“You’ll see.” Ian said. 

“I fucking hate that.” He said shooting Ian a dirty look. 

“Ya I know.” Ian said with a wicked smile. 

Mickey grunted pushing his lips together. The train stopped and a bunch of people got on, they took a few seats around the car and Mickey saw Matthew smile at a kid as he took a seat one seat away from him. The kid had a jean jacket on and a black concert t-shirt under it.

“Hey.” Matthew said.

The kid nodded to Matthew. 

“You go to the concert?” Matthew said. 

The kid tilted his head and Matthew waved a hand to his t-shirt. 

“Nah, couldn’t get a ticket.”

“There’s another one tonight.” Matthew said. 

“Ya.” The kid said shifting his hands together and shrugged. 

Matthew nodded slowly looking away, the kid was maybe 17, his sneakers and jeans were old but clean. Mickey saw what Matthew saw, this kid was poor. 

“Going to school?” Matthew said. 

“Ya??” The kid said and darted his eyes around. 

“You like music?” Matthew asked.

The kid nodded. 

“Oh ya?” Matthew said “Who’s your favorite band.”

The kid pulled on his t-shirt. 

“Ya I guess they’re OK.” Matthew said with shrug and a smile. 

“OK?!?” The boy said glaring at Matthew. “They’re NOT just OK, the guitar, the lyrics!? They’re fucking awesome.” 

“Ya think so huh?” Matthew said. 

“Ahh yeah!?” The kid said. 

Matthew pushed his hand over his smiling mouth. “You play?”

The kid nodded. 

“Guitar?” Matthew said. 

“Ya.” The kid said. “You?”

“A little.” Matthew said and Mickey snorted out a laugh. 

The kid smiled at Matthew and Mickey watched the kid as the train shifted under them, the t-shirt he had on looked new and he knew he had probably spent all of his money on it. The kid pulled on his t-shirt smoothing it out and Mickey leaned over to read it, it had a gate design with dark gray bars and a bright white circle behind it and he read the name of the band. 

Rising Moon was spelled out in smoky lettering over the gate. Mickey remembered what Mikayla said, their family song. The words floated through his mind, ‘And the moon is slowly risin’.

“Man.” He said leaning forward, he put his elbows on his knees and felt Ian’s hand on his back. 

“You’re what a sophomore?” Matthew asked. 

“Junior.” The kid said putting his hand over his old backpack next to him. 

“You any good at school?” Matthew said. 

“Nah not really.”

“You’re almost done.” Matthew said.

“Ya man! Thank God cuz if I don’t graduate my mother will kick my ass.” The kid said. 

“Ya.“Matthew said with a laugh. “I have one of those kind of moms.”

The kid nodded twisting his head. 

“They’re the good kind though.” Matthew said with a smile. 

The train came to a stop and Matthew stood up putting his hand into his back pocket. The kid looked up at him and Matthew held out two glossy black tickets, the kids eyes narrowed and his eyes fell on what Matthew held in his hand and widened. 

“What the..?” The kid breathed out taking the tickets, he looked up at Matthew stunned. 

“They’re for tonight.” Mathew said. “If you can make it.”

The kid nodded looking back and forth between the ticket and Matthew. 

“Are you for real?” The kid shot out. 

“Ya, I know a guy who knows a guy.” Matthew said shrugging a shoulder up. “What’s your name?” 

“Kyle.” The kid said with his wide eyes on the tickets. 

“Hey Kyle, I’m Matthew.” Matthew said putting his hand out. Kyle put his hand out and Matthew shook it smiling as Kyle stared at him. 

Matthew let go of Kyle’s hand and shoved his hands into his sweatshirt pockets, Mickey stood up and saw the face of the ticket had only a bright moon on them. 

Kyle’s eyes zeroed in on Matthew as he turned toward the door and they widened again. 

“HEY!” Kyle shot out standing up fast. 

“See ya later Kyle.” Matthew said looking over his shoulder walking off the train. Matthew lifted his hand and waved his fingers at Kyle as the doors closed behind them. 

“Nice.” He said. 

Ian squeezed his hand. 

“Clark Kent.” Ian said. 

Mickey laughed and they followed Matthew up the L stairs. Matthew laughed to himself as he jogged up the steps to the street. They were in of the nicer areas of Chicago and Matthew walked down the almost empty sidewalk. 

Matthew veered off to the left and Mickey saw him smile as he looked up at the building walking up to the big wood door. Matthew pulled it open and Mickey and Ian walked in behind him into a big open space, it looked like a massive living room with couches of all different shapes and sizes,

Mickey saw Heidi, she looked exactly the same, she was as tiny and as pretty as ever. His heart melted seeing her, her face light up when she saw Matthew at the door. Sarah stood facing Heidi with her back to them. 

Matthew lifted his finger to his lips and walked quietly up behind Sarah, Heidi started bouncing and Matthew put his arms up around Sarah’s face and put his hands over her glasses. 

Sarah lifted her hands to Matthew’s arms. 

“Oz.” Sarah said tapping his arms gently. “I’m working.”

Heidi giggled and Matthew smiled brightly at her lowering his hands, Sarah looked up at Matthew and her face filled with shock and happiness. Matthew wrapped his arms around her as she turned around. 

“Matthew!” Sarah said as he hugged her. 

“Hey Mom.” Matthew said with a bright smile. 

Sarah pushed her head back to look up at him, Matthew picked her up and her feet went up into the air. 

“Oh my gosh!” Sarah said and he saw happy tears in her eyes. “What are you doing here?”

Matthew held her up closing his eyes with a sweet smile on his face. 

”Came to see my kick ass Mom.” Matthew said. 

“Yay!” Heidi said bouncing over to them. 

Matthew put Sarah down and she held his arm as Matthew hugged Heidi with one arm. 

“I thought you had a show last night.” Sarah said. 

“I did but I couldn’t wait to see you guys.” Matthew said raising his hand and rubbing Sarah’s arm. 

Sarah smiled and wiped at her eyes, she leaned into Matthew hugging him. Matthew pushed his chin over Sarah’s hair. 

“We’re all coming tonight.” Heidi said. 

Matthew nodded against Sarah head. 

“Can’t wait.” Heidi said. “Heavy metal and family ahhh life is good.”

Mickey nodded and Matthew laughed pushing his sweatshirt hood back. 

“This place looks great!” Matthew said. 

Sarah smiled looking around. “It had the space we needed and your dad gave us a discount on construction.”

“HA!” Matthew shot out. 

Sarah giggled and pulled Matthew with her as she started through the room they followed them through the open space. 

“Wow.” Matthew said looking around, the hall was wide and carpeted, the walls were different colors as they walked, he heard a lot of noise coming from down the hall. A kid of about 8 shot out of a room and ran past them. 

“Walk please.” Sarah said. 

“Busted.” Matthew said. 

The boy stopped and smiled at Sarah with a cheeky grin and walked away quickly, not exactly running but not walking either. 

Sarah smiled shaking her head and put his arm through Matthews as they walked down the bright hallway. 

They heard more kid noises coming from a room ahead. 

“And we’re settling.” He heard and his heart warmed in his chest.

Matthew smiled brightly and walked to the door. Mickey looked past him and saw Luke standing in front of a podium with his eyes darting around the room. Ian put his arm around his waist lowering his head to his shoulder. 

“And we’re SETTLING!” Luke said again with more force. 

Ian chuckled behind him.

There were light giggles from the room, the kids in the room were sitting down in small chairs and they held all different kinds of instruments. 

Luke tapped the podium with a baton quickly. The kids lifted their instruments.

“And a one ana two.” Luke said waving the baton and holding it out.

A blast of noise came from the instruments, it sounded like animals being tortured. They blew and screeched out what didn’t sound like any song he had ever heard or wanted to hear. Luke waved his baton at them with a serious look on his face, Matthew laughed lifting a hand to his mouth. 

“Beautiful.” Luke called out over the noise. 

Mickey squinted and shook his head hard. 

“A little less force Steven.” Luke called out. 

A big kid in the back with a big tuba nodded and blew out a long note. 

“Perfect.” Luke called out waving his baton. “And we’re together!”

“No they’re really not.” He said. 

“Shhhh.” Ian hissed. 

“Yes!” Luke said with a serene look on his face, he didn’t know what Luke was hearing but it was a fucking racket. 

Luke waved his baton and Mickey smiled, he looked older, his hair was still light but he saw gray hairs shining through as it flopped over his forehead. 

“Big finish!” Luke called out. 

The racket got louder and Luke smiled brightly, there was a loud ring and Luke smiled at the back of the room a little kid held two big symbols that were as big as he was, he hit them together again and another ring filled the room. 

“Excellent Douglas!” Luke said as the boy went back, the kid next to him put his hand out and caught him before he went over with the symbols as they vibrated. 

Matthew clapped whistling through his teeth and Luke looked over toward them. Luke’s face lit up with surprise.

“Hey.” Matthew said as Luke rushed over, Luke hugged Matthew hard. 

“What are you doing here?” Luke said pulling his head back and looking down at Matthew. 

“I wanted to see the new digs.” Matthew said with a beaming smile. 

The kids were getting up from their chairs and Matthew smiled down at them. 

“Hey guys!” Matthew said. 

“Matthew!” A little girl with long curly called out, she ran to him and he crouched down and caught her, she hugged him as the other kids crowded around them. 

“Hey buddy.” Matthew said and pushed his hand over a boy’s hair. 

“Did you hear us?” A boy with dark skin and dark eyes asked. 

“I did.” Matthew said. “Sounds awesome.”

The boy smiled and put his shoulders back, the older boy next to him rolled his eyes. 

“We’re still working on it.” Luke said. “Practice practice.”

“Alright.” Sarah said clapping her hands together. “Study time and last minute homework for the ones who didn’t do it last night and I know who you are!”

There were awws from the kids and Luke but the kids started out of the room. 

“Homework time WOOHOO!” Mathew said lifting his hands up into the air. 

They kids grunted and snickered at him. 

Matthew laughed and pushed his hand over the little girl’s hair as she walked by. 

“Did you do your homework?” Matthew asked. 

The girl smiled and shook her head. 

“Spelling.” The little girl said and scrunched her nose up. 

“I’ll come help.” Matthew said in a whisper and winked at her. The little girl smiled and walked out of the room. 

“So you got your music room?” Matthew said to Luke. 

“I did.” Luke said with a bright smile. 

Matthew nodded and smiled at Luke. “Very nice.” Matthew said. 

The ceiling was high and the light poured through the window, the room was all light and air. 

“He drove your father nuts with the acoustics.” Sarah said with a smile. 

“Oh I know.” Matthew said. “I heard allll about it.”

“Acoustics are everything.” Luke said turning toward the door, they walked out and followed them back to the front room where Heidi was sitting in big oversized couch and two boys jumped onto the couch on either side of her. 

Matthew sat next to the little girl with long curly hair, she opened her book and took out a pencil as Matthew leaned forward with his hands together. Ian smiled at Sarah as she sat with a boy whose head was bent over a book. Luke was sitting with the boy who was almost taken down by the big symbols. 

“What is this?” He said. 

“It’s homework.” Ian said with a grin. 

Mickey stared at him. 

Ian laughed and took his hand leading him to the staircase and went up to the landing, a hallway went out the left, there were bright colored walls and little kids walking out of the rooms. They went up more stairs and there was another landing, older kids sat on the floor in the hallway with books on their laps and Mickey heard music coming out of one of the rooms. 

They walked down the hall past the kids and Mickey saw into the rooms, they were bedrooms with kids stuff was everywhere, some rooms were neat and clean and some were messy but every bed was made. 

“I don’t get it.” He said. “Can you just fucking tell me?” 

“Fine.” Ian said. “Jeez way to kill the build up.”

Mickey grunted grinding his teeth together, he followed Ian back down the stairs and Ian led him across the big living room. Mickey’s eyes caught something familiar and he tilted his head, beside the big wood door there was an outline of a house with a dark swirl coming out of the chimney. It was the house Milo had drawn for him for Christmas when he was five. 

Mickey stepped forward without realizing it, the house was drawn into the wall and was as crooked as Milo had drawn it. Mickey’s House was in bright crayon colors under the crooked house. 

“They take in kids that are hurt, abused or neglected.” Ian said as he came up next to him. 

Mickey opened his mouth and no words would come out. Ian put his arms around him. Mickey felt his eyes sting, he pushed his fingers into his eyes shifting his feet. 

Ian lifted a hand to his head. 

“They place them with safe families or help them until they’re old enough to live on their own.” Ian said. “They’ve helped hundreds of kids who didn’t have anywhere else to go.” 

Mickey felt his heart almost burst with pride, he bit his lip wiping at his eyes. 

“All this?” He said. 

“All this.” Ian said. 

“Luke.” He said. 

“Ya.” Ian said. “He put up the money at first but they wanted to help more kids and this..” Ian said waving his hand around. ..”This was mostly Matthew.”

“What?!” He said. “Seriously?” 

Ian nodded with a smile. 

“They did all this?” He said trying to wrap his brain around it. 

“Ya.” Ian said. “Oz did the construction and Sarah runs it, with a lot of help and Luke teaches music.” 

“That wasn’t music.” He said and tried to smirk. 

Ian shot out a laugh and pulled him into his side as he turned around, Mickey saw pictures of kids on the walls all around the big room, they were happy and smiling, playing or reading, he nodded looking at the pictures and looked back across the big living room to the kids studying. 

“This is somethin’” He said. 

“They did good huh?” Ian said. 

“Ya they did.” He said nodding. 

Matthew was leaning over the little girl as she sat in front of a low table, he smiled and nodded when she looked up at him. 

“Nice job.” Matthew said with a nod. 

A chime sounded through the room, the kids packed up their books and a wave of noise came from the hallway that sounded like thunder, kids swarmed the room and adults walked with them. Sarah walked to the big door and opened it, buses sat idling at the curb and the kids pulled shoes on or just ran through the door. Sarah stood at the door smiling as she handed out backpacks and jackets that were hanging on a massive coat rack by the door. 

Matthew called out to the kids and gave them fist bumps and waves, the little girl with the curly hair stopped in front of him pushing her hair away from her face. 

“Have a good day little one.” Matthew said crouching down. 

“Thank you.” The little girl said and wrapped her arms around Matthews’s neck, he gave her a squeeze and she ran out the door with her blue backpack over her shoulder. 

“How many are there?” He asked. 

“Living here right now? 15.” Ian said. 

Mickey’s eyes widened. 

With the kids gone there was silence, Sarah watched the buses drive away waving, she stepped inside and closed the door. She put her arm out and leaned into Matthew as the other adults walked back through the living room. 

“I’m so glad you’re home.” Sarah said. 

“Me too.” Matthew said. 

“What’s the plan for today?” Luke asked Matthew. 

Matthew shrugged with a smile. “I just wanted to see everyone but I’m gonna take off.” 

“You can stay and hang out.” Sarah said. 

“Nah you get back to work.” Matthew said with a teasing smile. 

Sarah narrowed her eyes at Matthew. Matthew pulled her in and Sarah smiled as he squeezed her. 

“I’ll see you tonight.” Matthew said. “I’ll be home late, like really really late.” 

“As long as you get there.” Sarah said with a pretty smile. 

Matthew kissed her smiling cheek as he pulled away. 

Luke smiled and held his hand out, Matthew grabbed his hand and pulled him in for a hard hug. 

“Later man.” Matthew said. 

“Later.” Luke said with a bright smile. 

Matthew hugged Heidi when she bounced over. Matthew smiled at them as he walked to the door pulling his hood up, they followed him out and down the street. 

Mickey felt his chest fill, he worked his jaw out blinking back the tears in his eyes. Ian stopped and tightened his hand around his turning to him. 

“You alright?”Ian said taking both of his hands in his. 

“Ya.” He said and took a deep breath. “It’s just..”

Mickey took another breath. 

“It’s a lot.” Ian said. 

“It’s fucking amazing.” He said.

“Ya it is.” Ian said laughing. 

“The Center helped a lot of kids and that was Luke’s thing but this..” He said looking back at the big house with the wood door. 

“This was for you.” Ian said. 

Mickey nodded and sniffed pushing his wrist under his nose. 

Ian pulled him in, Mickey held his waist closing his eyes, his chest was full of love and pride for his family, they had done for him the one thing that he was most proud of in his life, they had taken in a lost broken kid and given him a home. 


	7. Chapter 7

Mickey walked with Ian behind Matthew, he recognized the street and he squeezed Ian’s hand as he slowed down. Ian looked down at him and Mickey huffed out a breath. 

“It’s OK.” Ian said in a soft voice. 

Mickey let out a long breath and they walked around a corner, Mickey’s heart was breaking in his chest as he looked down the street. 

Mickey saw a white house standing where their house should be and it looked just the same. Mickey felt his heart shake and Ian squeezed his hand, they walked together over the sidewalk and Matthew walked up the walkway pulling out his keys. Mickey looked up at the house, it looked the same but it was different in a way, Ian pulled on his hand as Matthew went through the door, he stepped over the threshold and Matthew closed the door behind them. 

They walked into the living room and Mickey saw why it looked slightly different, it was bigger. The living room was the same but it was wider, the kitchen was set up with the refrigerator and stove facing out but a big wood table still stood between the living room and kitchen. Ian smiled at him and he looked past him, Ian’s office was right where it should be. Mickey looked around the house, it was open and airy, the windows were bigger and everything felt more open. 

Matthew toed his sneakers off and kicked them toward the wall, he pulled his sweatshirt off and hung it up. Matthew sighed and pulled his hair tie out and his hair fell down around his shoulder, he pushed his hand through his hair and started walking through the living room. 

Matthew headed for the kitchen and pulled open the refrigerator leaning in. 

“He hasn’t changed that much.” He said and Ian snorted out a laugh. 

“Ohhh jackpot.” Matthew said. 

Mickey rolled his eyes letting out a laugh. Matthew put his head back and lowered bacon into his mouth. 

Mickey heard a click and Matthew froze mid chew. Oz was standing with a gun on Matthew. Mickey saw his son and his heart ached, Oz was a little older and with age he looked more like him than he ever did, he had little creases around his bright blue eyes and laugh lines around his mouth. 

“Jesus Christ Matthew!” Oz shot out lifting the gun up. 

Matthew smiled a bright smile at Oz and chewed his bacon. 

“What are you the bacon police?” Matthew said. 

“HA!” Oz said shoving the gun in his waist band as he walked to Matthew with a smile. Oz hugged Matthew and Matthew smiled like a loon over his shoulder. 

“You stealing my bacon?” Oz said letting Matthew go and holding his arms. 

“And beer.” Matthew said with a smile and grabbed a beer from the refrigerator door and held it up. 

“What are you doing here?” Oz said stepping back. 

“I live here.” Matthew said and twisted the cap of the beer off and threw it at the trash. 

Oz smirked at Matthew as he reached in the fridge and pulled out a handful of bacon. 

“Wanted to see you.” Matthew said shoving bacon into his mouth.

“Did you see your mother?” Oz asked. 

“Ya.” Matthew said chewing and leaning back on the counter.

“Good.” Oz said walking to the open refrigerator door, he pulled out a bowl of food. “What do we got here?” 

“I don’t care man, as long as it’s not served on a rolling table or comes out of a microwave it’s all good.” Matthew said pulling forks out of a drawer. 

Oz smiled and walked to the table, Matthew sat down and pulled the cover off of the bowl. 

“Yes!” Matthew said “Shepard’s pie! I love my mother with all my heart.” 

Oz laughed and Matthew dug in eating it cold. 

“I can heat it up.” Oz said. 

Matthew shook his head and ate rolling his eyes. 

Oz smiled and sat down next to him, he picked up a fork and shoved it into the bowl Matthew had in front of him. 

“So good.” Matthew said closing his eyes. 

Oz giggled, Matthew opened his eyes and looked over at Oz. 

“I miss real food.” Matthew said with a sigh. 

“I can see that.” Oz said with a smile and shoved food in his mouth. 

Matthew drank his beer and took a breath, he ate more and murmured while Oz laughed. 

“What are you doing home?” Matthew asked with his mouth full. 

“Paperwork.” Oz said.

Matthew nodded lifting his beer and taking a quick drink. 

“I was just about to head to the site.” Oz said. 

Matthew waved his beer at Oz. “Go ahead if you need to.” 

“Nah.” Oz said shaking his head. “It can wait.”

Matthew smiled and ate more murmuring. 

“Milo sent pictures of the show last night.” Oz said. 

Matthew nodded smiling. “He brought a guy.”

“Oh ya?” Oz said. 

“Mm hm.” Mathew said nodding and taking a drink. 

“And?” Oz said. 

Matthew lowered his beer and thought for a second. “He seemed a little shy but you could tell he likes Milo.”

Oz nodded and Matthew shoved a forkful of shepherd’s pie into his mouth. 

“Think he’s a doctor.” Matthew said around a mouth full of food. 

“Hmph.” Oz grunted twisting his mouth. 

Matthew smiled and his eyes sparkled at Oz. 

“He seemed nice.” Matthew said. 

“You think everyone is nice.” Oz said with a smile. 

Matthew tilted his head and Oz smiled at him. Matthew scraped the bottom of the bowl and lifted the last bits into his mouth as he stood up, he walked to the sink and rinsed out the bowl. 

“Man that was good.” Matthew and his jaw opened wide in a yawn as he opened the dishwasher and put the bowl in, he closed the door and leaned against the counter rubbing a hand over his stomach. 

“Did you sleep at all?” Oz asked. 

Matthew shrugged a shoulder up crossing his arms.

“The life of a rock star huh?” Oz said with a smile. 

Matthew twisted his mouth up and glared at Oz. 

Oz laughed as he stood up. ‘Why don’t you crash for a while?” 

“Nah.” Matthew said pushing a hand under his glasses into his eyes and yawned again. 

“Even rock stars need some sleep.” Oz said. 

Matthew walked through the kitchen with his eyes narrowed and shoved Oz, Oz laughed patting his back leading him into the hall. 

“I guess I am a little tired.” Matthew said as his eyes drooped. 

Oz rolled his eyes and Matthew went into an open door on the left, it was right where Milo and Matthews room used to be. The room had posters and pictures everywhere, guitars and rock posters, woman on bikes with huge boobs looked at with hot eyes from the wall. Mickey nodded, this was definitely Matthews room, he had the heart of a rocker and a soul as sweet as an angel. A double bed stood against the inside wall and Matthew pulled his glasses off and put them on a nightstand beside the bed, he unsnapped his jeans and walked out them as he went over onto the bed with a grunt. 

Oz pulled Matthews socks off and Matthew didn’t move, Oz laughed quietly dropping Matthews socks, he walked to the window and pulled down the room darkening shades, Oz walked back around the bed and shoved Matthew onto his back, his hair flipped over his face and one tattooed arm went up over his head. Oz pushed him up and Matthew went onto the pillow with his eyes closed. Oz sat on the side of the bed and pulled the blankets over him. 

“You need a haircut.” Oz said pushing Matthew’s hair away from his face.

“Ya he does.” He called out. 

“Rock star.” Matthew said lifting his eyebrows with his eyes closed. 

“Right.” Oz said with a smile. 

Matthew smiled and Oz rubbed his hand back and forth over Matthews head. 

“Get some sleep.” Oz said leaning over and kissing Matthews head. “I love you.”

“I love you too Dad.” Matthew said.

Oz walked to the door and pulled it half way closed, Oz put his hand on the door with a smile and turned down the hall. They followed Oz, he walked down the wide hallway, it was longer than it was before, it lead to the back door but Oz took a right through an open door.

They walked into a room with a big desk facing the door with stacks of papers neatly stacked in a metal holder and a lap top sitting in the center of the desk, Oz was still smiling as he walked around the desk and leaned over it, he clicked the mouse few times and closed the laptop. 

Mickey looked around the room, there were framed pictures of great big building and small houses, he saw a picture of him with his arm around Oz’s shoulder. He smiled and walked over to it, it was a picture Sarah took on their first day of starting the business together. 

“Most of the pictures burned in the fire.” Ian said walking up behind him, he felt his arms wind around his waist and lifted his arm over his. 

“They were able to download some of them and reprint them.” Ian said with his chin on his shoulder. “But most of them came from Marjorie and John.”

Mickey smiled tightening his arm over Ian’s arm.

“Did everything burn?” He asked leaning against Ian. 

Ian nodded against his shoulder. “Mostly ya.” 

Mickey thought of everything in the fire, their room with the broken mirror, the shirts they wore for their weddings, the crib he made that all of the kids slept in when they were babies. 

“Hey.” Ian said tightening his arms around him. 

Ian pulled him over a few steps and he saw the picture Milo had drawn him in a wood picture frame, the edges were a little singed with brown edges at the bottom but the house and Ian were still there with big smiles and holding hands. 

Mickey smiled at the picture and lifted his hand to Ian’s head, Ian turned his face into his and he slid his fingers through his hair. Oz walked through the room behind them and Mickey looked over his shoulder as he walked out of the open door. 

“Come on.” Ian said. 

Ian took his hand and they walked down the hallway, he stopped at Matthew’s bedroom and looked in, Mathew’s eyes were closed. Mickey took a step forward and the door seemed to float around him and he was in Matthew’s room with Ian beside him. 

“Nice!” Ian said. 

“How’d I do that?” He said. 

“You wanted to be in here so you were.” Ian said.

“OK?!” He said waving a hand up. Ian laughed and he squeezed his hand before letting it go. Mickey crouched down next to Matthews bed looking down at his face, it was soft in sleep and Mickey saw the little boy who made him laugh, he saw the boy who brightened up everything around him and softened his heart even when things were at their worst. 

Mickey lowered his arm onto the bed and rested his chin on Matthews arm. 

“Hey bud.” He whispered. 

Mickey saw Eric Clapton and laughed, Matthew was smiling like an idiot playing a black guitar with a bright moon on it. Ian laughed rocking on his heels and Mickey smiled shaking his head. 

Matthew sang with Clapton swinging his guitar around and smiling into the audience, he saw Oz and Luke, Sarah and Lou and Milo and Mikayla all together singing along and clapping with the music. He saw himself next to Oz smiling up at the stage and Ian was behind him with his arms around his waist. 

Mickey felt his eyes burn seeing the both of them through Matthews eyes, he saw a glow of white around them, a pure light of strength and love. 

Matthew smiled in his sleep and Mickey smiled through his blurry vision.

“You don’t have to be a rock star.” He said. “It’s cool as shit that you are though!”

Mickey heard Matthew laugh next to Clapton and smiled. 

“What you did for that kid?” He whispered. “That’s who you are man.”

Matthew turned his head into the pillow smiling in his sleep. 

“I love you, you little ingrate” He said with a smile. 

Mickey felt Matthew’s bright smile and his heart filled with laughter and a sweet pure love. Matthew nodded his chin out to him in the audience, he lifted his hand from the guitar and put his two middle fingers down leaving the pinky, index finger and thumb up signing I love you. Mickey smoothed his too long hair back and kissed his head. 

Mickey grunted and sniffed shoving his wrist under his nose as he stood up. 

“Clapton.” Ian said. “The kid dreams big.”

“Ya he does.” He said and smiled down at Matthew. 

Ian pulled him out of the room and the door did that shimmery thing again. 

Mickey’s head went back. “At least warn me when you’re gonna do that shit! Jesus.”

Ian squeezed his hand and laughed a wicked laugh. They walked into the kitchen and Oz was pulling on his boots by the door. 

“He got them through it didn’t he.” He said.

Ian nodded but he didn’t need him to answer, he knew Oz was the one who held them up after he was gone. 

“They had each other.” Ian said looking down at him and squeezing his hand. 

Oz straightened up and punched in the alarm code, it beeped and he opened the door with his keys in his hands, they followed him out and Oz locked the door with a smile on his face. They followed him over the walkway and Mickey saw a big shiny black truck, it looked new and it had a big silver hanger in the bed of the truck with a ladder on top of it. Oz got in the truck and slammed the door. 

The side of the door had a big red square and inside of it in bold black lettering was, 

MILKOVICH  
AND SONS. 

Mickey’s face broke put into a big smile, they had talked about the name of the company but then it had just been the two of them and there was never an official name. 

“Milkovich and Sonsss?” He said with a bright smile waving his hand up as Oz started the truck. “One’s a doctor and the others a musician.” 

“They rebuilt the house together.” Ian said and he nodded. “Milo worked summers all through college and Matthew worked with him right up until he left for his first tour.”

“That’s pretty fucking cool.” He said. 

Oz backed up and pulled away, Mickey watched him drive away still smiling. The sun moved over the sky and Mickey looked up, Ian smiled at him lifting his hand to his head. 

“That outta do it.” Ian said. 

Mickey saw a little silver car pulling up to Luke’s house and a mass of curly dark hair flying out of the open window as it zoomed into Luke’s driveway and stopped. 

“Luke taught her how to drive huh?” He said. 

“HA!” Ian said and wrapped his arm around his neck as they started walking. 

“YOU taught Luke.”

He laughed and tilted his head, that was true. He pulled Ian’s hand up to his lips and kissed it. 

Mikayla jumped out of the car and ran up the walkway, her purse was flying behind her and she had light blue scrubs on under her jean jacket. 

“Is she always fucking running?” He said and started jogging. Ian put his hand up and shot him a smile, he turned around and stuck his tongue in his teeth, Ian narrowed his eyes and they flashed, Mickey turned back around and bolted toward Luke’s house, he hit the steps as Mikayla started opening the door, he ran up the steps and Ian ran up behind him and tackled him, he laughed and grabbed his arms as they stumbled through the door together giggling. 

Mikayla dropped her purse and toed off her shoes.

“Hey.” Mickey heard and looked toward the couch, Ian came out from behind him and looked down at him with a big toothy grin. 

“Hey!” Mikayla said with a big smile. 

Two boys sat on the couch with video controllers in their hands and a bowl between them, a teenage boy with blond hair and a younger boy of about ten sat next to him, the younger boy was very dark skinned and had big brown eyes. 

Mikayla walked over to the couch and lifted her hand to the smaller boys head. 

“Who’s winning?” Mickey said looking at the TV. 

“I am.” They both said at the same time, the younger boy smiled a wicked smile up at Mikayla and dropped his hand into the bowl and brought out a handful of chips. 

The older boy clicked and grumbled sitting forward as the younger boy shoved chips in his mouth. Mikayla dropped down on the couch next to the boy as he lifted the bowl onto his lap, Mikayla took a handful and ate watching the screen. 

“Kick his ass!” Mikayla said to the screen as the little one smiled. 

“Hey!” The teenage boy said. “Who’s side are you on?”

Mikayla smiled at him and the chips chrunched as she bit down. 

The teenager smirked at Mikayla and pointed at her. “You’re my sister too.”

Mikayla laughed and the boy next to her giggled. 

“What?!” He said turning his head hard. 

The door opened and Luke walked in with his violin in his hand. 

“What are you doing?” Luke said waving his hands up. 

“Eating chips.’ Mikayla said and ate a handful.

Luke rolled his eyes and put his violin on a stand by the door. 

“Concert time!” Luke said. 

The boys smiled and the older boy hit buttons on the controller as Luke closed the door. 

“And we’re going.” Luke said waving his arms at the stairs. “Clothes! Appropriate for a heavy metal concert, when in doubt go with black.”

The younger boy laughed standing up eating a chip and the older boy grunted and hit the controller. Luke tilted his head smiling as the boy shot up and walked toward the stairs. 

“Where’s your mother?” Luke said as the boys started up the stairs. 

“Kitchen.” The teenage boy said. 

“What the fuck?!” He said and stared at Ian. “That kid wasn’t here last I knew and the other one doesn’t look like Luke or fucking Lou!”

“Luke doesn’t look like either of us.” Ian said with a smile. 

Mickey squinted and tilted his head, it came to him what Ian meant in a flash. 

“They’re adopted?” He asked.

Ian nodded with a bright smile. Mickey watched them going up the stairs until they were out of sight, they sounded like a stampede of elephants. 

Mikayla flopped over on the couch and Luke smiled at her. 

“How’s my girl?” Luke asked. 

“Tired.” Mikayla said and pulled a pillow under her head. “I’m just need to close my eyes for a second then I’m moving, concert time woohoo…” 

Mikayla’s woohoo trailed off. 

“Mm hm.” Luke murmured and walked through the living room. 

Ian pulled him toward the wall to a picture of the two boys in dress shirts and ties with bright smiles on their faces and both of them were holding a piece of paper in their hands.

“That was adoption day.” Ian said and Mickey leaned in closer to the picture, both of the boys had sunny smiles on their faces. 

“Joseph’s been with them since he was 14 and the little guy, that’s Roberto he’s been with them for 3 years.” 

He read their names on the sheets of paper in their hands and saw all of their names written across the page almost end to end and snorted out a laugh, both of them had the last names Rodriguez Milkovich Gallagher. 

“When they started Mickey’s House Luke and Lou became foster parents.” Ian said putting his arms around his shoulders. 

Mickey laughed, he could imagine Luke taking in twenty kids and loving every minute of it. 

Ian laughed beside him. “Maybe not twenty at a time but almost.”

“Two new grandkids.” He said.

Ian put his head on his. “Yeah.” 

“They’re good though right.” He said. 

“They’re doing good.” Ian said lifting his head. “Robbie is a kick ass baseball player, he loves sports.”

“Sports?” He said shooting Ian a long look “Really?”

“Ya.” Ian said with a laugh nodding. 

Mickey laughed long and hard. 

“Luke has a kid into sports?!” He said giggling hysterically. 

“That’s some karma right there.” Ian said giggling. 

Mickey shot out a hard laugh nodding his head around, he caught his breath and pulled Ian in to his side. 

“And the other one?” He said. “Joseph?”

“Joe.” Ian said. “Ya he’s good too.”

“Did they…” He started. “Were they hurt or somethin’?”

“They didn’t come from good places.” Ian said. 

Mickey felt his heart drop and felt Ian tighten his arm around him. 

“And Luke took ‘em to a shrink and everything?” He said. 

“Ya.” Ian said with a smile. “He did.”

“Good.” He said with a nod. 

He heard the thundering feet again and saw the two boys come down the stairs. 

“DAD!” The little one called out. Robbie he remembered.

“YA!” He heard from the kitchen and smiled. 

“We’re ready!” Robbie called out walking to the door, they were wearing mostly black and both had Rising Moon t-shirts on with different designs. Joe nodded his head toward the couch, Robbie looked over at Mikayla. 

“Mickey.” Robbie said and Mickey jumped. 

“Huh?” Mikayla said from the couch. 

“You coming?” Robbie said. 

Mikayla turned over onto her stomach wrapping her arms around the pillow and Joe smiled rolling his eyes at Robbie pulling on a jean jacket. 

Luke came into the living room with Lou beside him, she looked great, she was still all curves and hair. A girl came in beside her, she looked about 16, she had dark brown hair with steaks of blonde in it and her eyes were black ringed with makeup. She had on a short skirt, black leggings and a black Rising Moon t-shirt that was tied up around her waist. 

Lou’s eyes softened when she looked over at the couch, she went to the closet and pulled out a blanket, she let it fall open and walked to the couch, Mikayla didn’t flutter an eyelash as Lou put the blanket around her. 

Lou straightened up smiling down at Mikayla.

“Think she’ll be pissed?” Robbie asked as he started putting on white sneakers, Mickey shook his head.

“No.” Lou said as she walked over to them. “She needs to sleep.” 

“No white.” The girl with the streaky blond hair said to Robbie. 

Mickey nodded at Robbie. 

“What?” Robbie said looking down at his feet. “They’re just sneakers.”

The girl rolled her brown eyes dramatically at Robbie, Mickey waved his hand at her. 

“Listen to her.” He said. 

The girl walked to the stack of shoes and pulled out a pair of beat up black boots. 

“These.” The girl said. 

Luke laughed nodding as he pulled on a jacket. Robbie took his sneakers off with a sigh.

“I won’t have you embarrassing me or your cousin.” The girl said. 

“Alright, alright.” Robbie said and scowled shoving his feet into the boots. 

“Who’s she?” He said nodding his chin up. 

“Angel.” Ian said. 

“Angel huh?” He said. She looked like Mandy from back in the day with her clothes and her attitude. 

Angel pushed her hands into Robbie’s hair messing it all up while he was crouched over his boots. 

“Hey!” Robbie said pulling his head back. 

“You look too neat.” Angel said. 

Robbie pulled his hand into his hair trying to put it back in place. 

“She’s been here for almost a year.” Ian said. “It was just her and her mom, the dad’s long gone. They were in a bad car accident. Angel was in the hospital for a month but her mom didn’t make it.” 

“Aw man” He said.

Robbie bitched at her in Spanish and she smiled at him. 

“All she wants is to finish high school and go to college, her mom really wanted that.” Ian said. “She wants to be a nurse.” 

“Oh ya?” Mickey said. “She adopted too?” 

“No.” Ian said. “Not officially but she doesn’t really have any other family.” 

“She does now.” He said watching her whip a hand out and push Robbie’s hair up as he stood up. Robbie’s face fell and he gave in to Angels hands, she pushed his dark hair around and lifted her fingers through his dark hair until it stood up on end. 

“Better.” Angel said with a smile and Robbie sighed.

Angle lifted her finger in front of her and wiggled them and her eyes zeroed in on Joe. 

“Don’t touch me.” Joe said pulling open the door and Angel giggled. 

“Have fun!” Lou said. Angel put on a short jacket and hugged Lou with one arm. 

“We will!” Joe said and smiled back at Lou from the top of the stairs. 

“Bye Mom.” Robbie said and lifted his lips, Lou leaned over and Robbie kissed her cheek. 

“Bye sweetie.” Lou said running his hand over his arm before he ran out the door past Angel. 

Luke kissed Lou and smiled at her as he walked to the door with his keys in his hand. 

“Bye!” Lou said walking to the open door. They all laughed and bitched at each other as they piled into the car, Lou laughed and put her hand on the door. There were two short beeps and Lou waved as the head lights moved across her, Mickey heard a blast of heavy metal music from the car and it drifted away as the car drove off. Lou closed the door smiling and walked through the living room. 

Mickey looked down at Mikayla on the couch. 

“People call her Mickey huh?” He said. 

“Pretty much.” Ian said. 

Mickey smiled, she was his namesake after all. 

“Mine too.” Ian said. 

“Ya, ya.” He said with a smirk. Ian elbowed him as he walked to the couch and sat down on the edge in front of Mikayla. She was even more beautiful than he ever thought she’d be but she was still as sweet and bad ass as ever. 

“Hey Mickey G.” He said quietly as he lifted his hand to her curly hair. 

He saw piano keys and felt pure joy as music filled Mikayla’s soul, her fingers played a slow tune he sort of recognized. 

“Chopin.” He heard in Mikayla’s voice. 

“Oh ya?” He said. “Hmph.”

He felt Mikayla smile. 

“You miss it?” He asked. 

“Sometimes.” Mikayla said. 

“You can do both.” He said. 

He heard Mikayla’s light laugh. 

“You can do anything bad ass rainbow girl.” He said. 

He felt her heart fill with love and he stroked his finger over her face. 

“I love you.” He whispered pushing her hair back. 

“I love you too Dedushka.” Mikayla said and felt her smile. 

Mickey listened to her play and watched her hands, he leaned over and kissed her cheek. Mikayla smiled in her sleep and he felt Ian’s arm on his shoulder, he lifted his hand to Ian’s and stood up, he walked through the living room with Ian’s hand in his and they started down the hallway that led to the kitchen, the walls were covered with pictures, there were pictures of Mikayla as she grew, ones of Joe and Angel smiling into the camera and Robbie on a pitcher’s mound in a baseball uniform looking very serious. 

All around the wall were pictures of kids of all different ages. 

“Those are the ones that needed a home for a little while so their parents could get back on their feet or until they were adopted.” Ian said. 

“Luke always wanted a house full.” He said. 

“Oh he got it.” Ian said with a laugh. 

Mickey laughed and they walked down the hall, they walked into Luke’s kitchen and Lou was sitting at the table with a cup in front of her. He saw Mrs. Lombardi standing at the stove. 

“Hey Mrs. Lombardi!” He said with a smile waving his hand up. Her hair was white and she had deep wrinkles on her face, she was wearing a long floral dress and she was neat and clean like she always was. 

“Mrs. Slenovich.” He heard and looked across the room. Wolfgang was sitting at the table with Lou. 

“Oh ya, I always fucking forget.” He said. “Sorry man.” 

Wolfgang nodded to him and Mickey squinted and tilted his head. 

“Hey! How’d you fucking hear me?” He said. “How’d he fucking hear me?” He said looking up at Ian. 

“See I told you we had to get dressed.” Ian said with a smirk. 

Wolfgang smiled at them and he realized why he could hear them. 

“It was last year.” Wolfgang said. “Cancer.” 

Mickey watched Mrs. Slenovich bring a plate to the table and sit down next to Wolfgang as he looked at her with love in his eyes. 

“Maria took care of me until the very end.” Wolfgang said. 

Mrs. Slenovich picked up a cookie from the tray and Wolfgang smiled at her. 

“She still live across the street?” He asked. 

“Yes and she helps out with taking care of the kids.” Wolfgang said. 

“Kicking their asses huh?” He said. 

Wolfgang laughed and nodded. “When there’s a need.”

“Luke might start a mosh pit.” Lou said and Mrs. Slenovich laughed. 

“Knowing him.” Mrs. Slenovich said. 

Mickey laughed and Ian nodded. 

“The boys will be right there with him.” Lou said. 

Mrs. Slenovich nodded and took a sip of her tea. “Angel too.” 

“Matthew will save them.” Lou said with a smile. 

Mrs. Slenovich giggled lightly. “He’ll have to.” 

Wolfgang’s eyes sparkled with laughter and he smiled a shy smile at them. 

“You raised a fine family.” Wolfgang said. 

Mickey nodded as his heart filled, he felt Ian’s hand tighten in his. 

“It’s good to see you man.” He said 

Wolfgang smiled and nodded to him. 

“Are you going to the concert?” Wolfgang asked. 

“I don’t fucking know.” He said with a scowl. “He’s dragging my ass around.” 

“HA!” Ian shot out and smiled. “We’re going to A concert yes.” 

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean.” He said and shot a dirty look at Ian, he just smiled at him and shrugged a shoulder up. 

He rolled his eyes and huffed. “He doesn’t tell me shit.”

Wolfgang laughed and he smirked. 

“Ya see how you like it.” He said but smiled. 

“I’m still waiting.” Wolfgang said. 

“She’ll be dragging your ass around, you’ll see.” He said nodding. 

“I hope so.” Wolfgang said smiling. 

“Ahhh love.” Ian said. 

Mickey glared at him and Ian shot out a laugh, he smirked and smiled up at Ian shaking his head. 

“Can you do that thinking and poof there you are shit?” He asked Wolfgang. 

Ian rolled his eyes and shoved his shoulder. 

“What?” He said as Ian turned him around. 

“Come on.” Ian said pulling him with him. 

“The fuck, I was just asking.” He said and Ian laughed pulling him toward the door. 

“Bye.” Wolfgang called out. 

“Later man.” He said.

“We got places to go, people to haunt.” Ian said. 

“Where we goin’?’ He said pulling at Ian’s waist and biting his lip. 

Ian slung his arm around his shoulder as they walked together. 

“We’re going to see the rest.” Ian said leaning into him. 

Mickey felt his heart sigh and closed his eyes.


	8. Chapter 8

Mickey opened his eyes, they were back in front of their house, he waved his arms out in front of him as Ian pulled his arm away and started across the lawn. 

“Couldn’t we just fucking walk?” He called out to Ian as he crouched down and sat on the grass. 

“It’s more fun this way.” Ian said smiling up at him. 

Mickey smirked walking to him and sat next to him with a huff. He put his arms behind him bracing his weight and crossed his ankles. 

“Fun for you.” He said nodding his head at Ian with a scowl. 

Ian smiled leaning forward. 

“What are we doin?” He asked looking around the front yard. 

“Waiting.” Ian said. 

“Waiting for what?” He said. 

Ian smiled at him and tilted his head, Mickey saw the light around him change from light to dark and light again, the sun moved over them fast and Ian smiled looking up at the sun and moon as they flew through the sky. 

“Now you’re just showin’ off!” He said. 

“Maybe a little.” Ian said shrugging his shoulder up. 

Mickey sputtered and smiled at Ian, he saw a black truck coming down the street and he watched Oz’s’ truck pull into the driveway next to a red SUV. Oz got out of the truck with two pizzas in his hand and walked to the door.

Ian stood up and Mickey shoved himself to his feet, they walked behind Oz as he pulled his keys out and unlocked the door, they followed him in and there was happy kids music mixed with loud guitar that came from the back of the house. 

“Hey!” Oz called out as they walked over the threshold. 

“Hey babe.” Sarah said from the kitchen with a smile, she was sitting at the kitchen table with a laptop open in front of her. 

Oz kicked the door closed and walked through the living room smiling at Sarah. 

“Annnnd wait for it.” Ian said holding up a finger.

“Daddy!” Mickey heard and his head went back, a little girl with long brown curly hair came running through the house from Ian’s office with a piece of paper in her hand. 

Ian laughed and Mickey glared at him. “Will you stop fucking doin’ that!?”

Ian laughed and shrugged. “But it’s so fun.” 

“Hey!” Oz said sliding the pizzas on the table and held his arms out with a bright smile, the little girl ran to him and Oz swung her up into his arms. 

“How ya doin’?” Oz said as she hugged him around his neck and Oz rubbed her back. 

“I’m good Daddy.” The little girl said. “I drew you a picture.” 

“You did?” Oz said and smiled. “Let’s see.”

The little girl brought her hand down from around Oz’s neck and Oz took one end of the picture. 

“That’s beautiful.” Oz said smiling at the picture. The little girl had big green eyes and she beamed a happy smile at Oz. Mickey realized he had seen her before. 

“See there’s the building you’re building.” The little girl said pointing. 

Oz nodded smiling. 

“And your hard hat.” The little girl said. 

“Thank you.” Oz said and pulled the little girls head in and kissed it. “Can you go put this on the wall for me?” 

“OK!” The little girl said with a nod and Oz put her down, she took the picture and ran through the house right into Ian’s office, Ian wrapped his hand around his and tugged him into his office, the room had a small red table and toys scattered around the floor, there was a small television that was on and a book shelf with bright colored kids’ books against the wall. Mickey looked up and saw Ian’s pictures on the wall under a sheet of glass. Ian squeezed his hand and nodded his chin up, Mickey looked where he was looking and the wall covered with pictures of him under a sheet of glass. 

Mickey saw something on the wall around his pictures and took a step forward, there were bubbles over his head and words written in. 

One said ‘Ya OK!?’ 

Mickey laughed leaning over and saw some of his pictures had hearts around them, there was a drawn coffee mug with lines of steam coming off of it and even a cigarette drawn into his hand. 

“She’s an artist.” Ian said nodding.

Mickey looked over the wall reading all the bubbles, one said ‘**** you!’ He looked up at Ian. 

“It’s a PG room.” Ian said. 

“Ahhh.” He said straightening up, he looked over at Ian’s wall and there were hearts and bubbles with words written in on the glass. 

‘NO GUNS!’ Was written in a bubble and Ian giggled beside him as he shook his head laughing. 

“Luke’s been tellin’ her stories.” He said. 

“Oh ya!” Ian said nodding. 

“Is she adopted?” He asked. 

“Yeah.” Ian said. “But she’s never known any other family.”

Mickey watched her put her picture down on the red table. 

“She was dumped at the hospital. The doctors couldn’t even tell how old she was she was she was so small. “

Mickey’s heart broke for her and he watched her carefully measure out a piece of tape. 

“They figured out she was about three but she couldn’t speak and she never cried” Ian said looking down at the little girl with emotion flashing in his eyes. 

“She didn’t even have a name.” Ian said. 

Mickey tightened his hand around Ian’s. 

“She had some health problems at first and had to stay in the hospital but Milo brought Sarah to see her.” Ian said. “Because of her medical problems they couldn’t find anyone that would take her.”

“Poor kid.” He said. 

The little girl smiled and picked up her bright colored picture from the table.

“Sarah took Oz to meet her and that was kind of it.” Ian said with a smile. 

Mickey shot out a laugh and Ian nodded. 

“She didn’t respond to anyone when they tried to talk to her but then she met Oz." Ian said with a bright smile. "She looked at him and even smiled.” 

“Fell for the kid huh?” He said. 

“Ya.” Ian said. “The first word she said was Oz.”

Mickey smiled as she put the picture on the wall and carefully placed it next to other bright colored drawings. 

“They gave her a name and brought her home.” Ian said. 

“Is it another fucking M name?” He asked. “Like Matilda or somethin’?” 

“No.” Ian said shaking his head with a laugh. “They named her after Oz.”

“Nu uh!” He shot out. “Please don’t tell me they named her fucking O.J.!!” 

“No.” Ian said with a laugh shaking his head. “Her name is Roz.”

Mickey looked down at her as she ran through the room.

“Roz.” He said and nodded, it totally fit. They followed Roz as she ran out of the room and into the living room. Oz was pulling plates out of the cabinet, Roz ran up and bounced in front of Oz. 

“Are you happy to see me or are you happy about the pizza?” Oz said. 

Roz tilted her head scrunching her nose up. “Booooth?!”

Oz laughed and handed her the plates. 

“Good answer.” He said and Oz said the same thing at the same time. Roz turned around and put the plates on the table. 

“Did I hear pizza?” Matthew said as he came around the corner and walked into the kitchen, he had his hair tied back and his glasses on. 

“It’s like radar.” He said. 

“Yes.” Sarah said with a laugh, she closed the laptop and pushed it over to the far end of the table. 

“Score.” Matthew said and pulled Roz up when she ran to him. Roz squealed out a laugh as Matthew pulled her over his shoulder and she hung over his back as Matthew flipped a pizza box open. She wiggled her toes over Matthews’s chest and hung there with her arms over her head. Matthew picked up a piece of pizza and shoved it onto his mouth as he sat down pulling Roz up, she slid down into Matthews lap pushing her hair out of the face. 

Matthew held the piece of pizza out to Roz and she took a bite. 

“Ahhh plates?” Oz said. 

Matthew and Roz ignored Oz and chewed. Matthew handed Roz the piece of pizza in his hand chewing and snagged another piece from the box. 

Oz rolled his eyes up and Sarah shook her head. Oz went to the refrigerator and pulled out three beers, he walked to the table and wrapped his arm around Sarah’s shoulder and kissed her cheek as she smiled and took the beer from his hand. Oz put the other beer down in front of Matthew. 

“Two pizzas?” Sarah said. 

“Matthew’s home.” Oz said. 

“Oh ya.” Sarah said and smiled her pretty smile at Matthew. 

Matthew laughed and ate another big bite of pizza with his tattooed arm around Roz’s waist as Roz chowed down on her pizza. 

“How is he?” Oz asked Sarah running his hand over her shoulder. 

“Quiet.” Sarah said.

Oz nodded and put his beer on the table, he stepped away from her and walked through the kitchen. Mickey followed him pulling Ian with him, Oz sounded worried and no one is this family was ever quiet unless something was wrong. 

Oz stopped at Matthew’s room and rapped a knuckle on the partially open door. Oz waited and pushed the door open, Mickey saw Matthew’s bed had been moved to the outer wall and other furniture had been moved around. Matthews’s posters had been moved to one side of the room and the other half had bare walls and what looked like fresh paint. There was a boy sitting on the lower bunk of a bunk bed set against the wall with his stocking feet up on the bed and he had a magazine over his lap. Mickey recognized the boy Milo had taken care of in the hospital. 

‘Derek.’ Mickey remembered. 

“Hey.” Oz said with a smile. 

Derek’s dark eyes flashed and he pushed the magazine off of his lap and sat up on the side of the bed pushing away a glossy guitar magazine. 

“You like guitars?” Oz asked with a smile. 

Derek shrugged a shoulder up looking down at the floor. 

“If you want to learn we have plenty of people around who can teach you.” Oz said with a bright smile.

Derek’s eyes flickered up to Oz and back down to the floor. 

“How do you feel about pizza?” Oz asked crossing his arms still smiling. 

Derek looked up at Oz and there as a hint of a smile on his face. 

“I like pizza.” Derek said. 

“Oh ya?” Oz said. “You like pepperoni?” 

Mickey’s heart swelled, he had asked Oz that the first night he came home. 

Derek nodded and Oz smiled down at him. 

“Well you better hurry before Matthew eats it all.” Oz said sticking his thumb over his shoulder. 

Oz stepped back and started out the door, Derek watched him and Oz looked over his shoulder just as Derek stood up and followed him. Oz turned his head back and smiled to himself, he watched Oz slow down as Derek caught up to him and they followed them as they walked into the kitchen together. 

“Hey roomie!” Matthew called out. 

“Hi!” Roz said with a sunny smile and Sarah pulled the chair next to her out for Derek. 

Derek sat down with his eyes on the table. Sarah lifted a plate and put it in front of Derek, Roz leaned forward and pulled a piece of pizza from a box and put it on the plate. 

Oz sat down twisting off the cap of his beer and took a drink, he pulled out a piece of pizza for himself and shoved it onto his mouth. 

“I wonder where they get it.” Sarah said staring at Oz. 

Oz chewed and blinked at Sarah. “Huhmph?” Oz said with a mouth full of pizza. 

“Mm hm.” Sarah said with a smirk. 

Matthew and Roz giggled and Derek picked up his pizza, Mickey saw his eyes change as he took huge bites. Sarah’s eyes flashed and Oz slowed down as he chewed, the poor kid was eating like he’d never eaten before. 

“Do you want a soda?” Roz said sliding off of Matthews lap, she didn’t wait for an answer, she rushed to the refrigerator and pulled out a soda, she lifted her little foot and pushed the door closed, she walked back to the table opening the soda and put it down next to Derek’s plate. Derek still had pizza hanging out of his mouth. 

Derek put the pizza down and took a sip of soda. Sarah put a napkin down next to Derek’s plate. Roz climbed back up into Matthews lap and Matthew gave her a squeeze as she settled back in. Derek’s eyes flickered up at Roz and she smiled at him. 

“Pepperoni is my favorite.” Roz said nodding. 

Derek chewed and swallowed. “Me too.” Derek said. 

Oz smiled at Roz and winked at her. Roz’s green eyes sparkled and Mickey felt his heart fall, splat, he fell in love with her. 

“Ya she’s a special one.” Ian said. 

Roz had seen the way Derek was eating, he looked like he was going to choke but instead of making him uncomfortable she had just given him a soda so he’d slow down a little bit. 

“How old is she?” He asked.

“She’s almost 9.” Ian said. “They use the day she came home as her birthday.”

Roz sat content on Matthews’s lap putting bare foot on Matthew’s knee. Derek was eating slower and Sarah was watching Derek without being obvious about it, she pulled another piece of pizza out and slid it onto Derek’s plate. 

“Is she healthy and everything?” He asked waving a hand forward and looking up at Ian. 

“Ya.” Ian said nodding with a smile. “She’s healthy and happy.”

“She was there earlier.” He said. 

“Ya, she hangs out at Mickey’s House with Sarah before school.” Ian said. 

Mickey’s heart kicked hearing ‘Mickey’s House.’ He took a deep breath and looked back over the table. 

“What’s his story?” He asked nodding his chin out to Derek. 

“It’s not a good one.” Ian said. “His father apparently got pissed when Derek stole money from him for food.”

“Fucker.” Mickey said. 

“Ya.” Ian said. 

Derek could have all the pizza as far as he was concerned, Mickey watched his eyes, he was looking at each of them out of the corner of his eyes as he ate. 

Sarah stood up with her plate and walked to the counter. 

“Alright guys.” Sarah called out rinsing her plate in the sink. “We have to be ready and out the door in 30 minutes.”

“Roger that.” Matthew said.

“K.” Roz said and chewed on the crust of her pizza. 

Sarah wiped her hands on a towel and turned around, no one had moved. Sarah gave Oz a dirty look and he just sat eating pizza and drinking his beer. Sarah rolled her eyes walking back to the table and sat back down in her chair. 

“Have you been practicing?” Matthew asked Roz. 

Roz nodded and tilted her head at Matthew. 

“Have you?” Roz said with her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Rock star?” 

“Hmph.” Matthew grunted putting his pizza down, he leaned Roz over and tickled her, she screamed out a laugh as her hair flew back. 

“What’d you call me?” Matthew said smiling and tickling her. 

Oz and Sarah laughed and Roz giggled hysterically, Derek’s eyes warmed and he smiled watching them. 

“NOTHING!” Roz giggled out. 

“Who’s your favorite brother?” Mathew asked tickling her.

“MILO!” Roz called out and Matthew twisted his face up and smiled tickling her as he laughed with Ian. 

“What?!” Matthew said tickling her and she screamed out a giggle. “I don’t think I heard you right?”

“YOU ARE!!” Roz called out. 

“YEAH that’s what I thought!” Mathew said pulling her up. 

Roz’s hair flew over her face and Matthew pushed it away as she sat up still giggling. Roz caught her breath and Matthew gave her a squeeze smiling down at her. Roz smirked glaring at Matthew like a Milkovich and Mickey nodded with a smile. 

Sarah clapped her hands together. “Come on guys, we can’t be late.”

Matthew picked Roz up and put her on the floor as he stood up.

“Come on bud.” Matthew said to Derek waving his hand out. 

Mickey saw Derek’s eyes light up. Derek wiped his mouth with the napkin pushing his chair back and started after Matthew. Roz ran ahead of them and took a right into a room. Mickey looked into the room as Roz ran to the open closet, there was a white bed with high posts and a white comforter on the bed. There were long curtains with red flowers blowing in the open windows and bright colored model cars were lined up on her dresser. 

“She’s not really a pink kind of girl.” Ian said. 

“Nah.” He said with a smile. 

They followed Matthew with Derek trailing behind him and they turned into Matthew’s room. Derek walked to the bunk beds and sat down. 

Matthew took his glasses off and threw them on the bed, he pulled shirt off and Mickey saw his back, it was half covered with tattoos. 

“Jesus.” He said. 

Ian nodded his chin out smiling and Mickey did a double take, he squinted and Matthew walked to the dresser, Mickey saw what looked like a white horse that was running but had a rainbow mane. 

“Is that fucking Eugene?” He shot out. 

“Ya.” Ian said laughing. 

Mickey giggled and looked closer as Matthew pulled out a black t-shirt. There was a large moon over his back right shoulder blade with gray and black clouds behind it that winded down over his shoulder, there was a big red heart and an old time MOM scripted in the center. 

“HA!” He laughed out. 

Matthew walked around the bed pulling the shirt over his arms. He saw the same symbol Oz had on his wrist over his forearm and the same tattoo Sarah had of a stick figure dancing beside it. M.I.L.O was in bold lettering on the outside of his forearm and Roz and a date were stenciled in under it. There was a crooked house with a swirl of smoke on one upper arm inside a triangle with curved points, his other arm had a drum with two drum sticks, a little guitar and the numbers 1,2,3 under it. Mickey’s heart shook, every single part of their lives was tattooed on Matthew’s body. 

Matthew pulled the shirt over his head and pulled it over his chest, it was sleeveless and had red wings across the front. He smiled as he realized Matthew wore the sleeveless shirt to show his love for his family. 

“OK.” Matthew said picking up his glasses from the bed and putting them on. “Let’s get you ready.”

Matthew walked to a small dresser against the wall, there was a large box on it and Matthew pulled it open. 

“Hmm.” Matthew said rummaging through the box. ‘Lets see…Oh.” 

Matthew smiled and pulled out a t-shirt. It was wildly tye dyed and Mickey held his hand up to block the glare coming of it. 

“Huuuh?” Matthew said smiling holding it up. 

Derek smiled a little and Matthew twisted his mouth up. 

“No.” Matthew said. “You’re not a hippie type.”

Matthew threw the shirt over his shoulder and it landed on his bed. 

“Let’s see.” Matthew said rummaging. “We could go old school.”

Matthew pulled out a white t-shirt and shook his head. 

“Nah.” Matthew said throwing the t-shirt over his shoulder. “You’re more of a rocker dude.”

Derek smiled and Mickey smiled crossing his arms. 

“Aha!” Matthew said pulling out a t-shirt.

Matthew held it up the t-shirt and Derek’s face lit up, it was an old Guns and Roses t-shirt. 

“This my friend is vintage.” Matthew said nodding his head down. 

Derek nodded smiling and stood up lifting his t-shirt. Mickey saw the small scar on Derek’s stomach and took a sharp breath. Matthew pushed the t-shirt over Derek’s head and Derek pushed his arms into the sleeves, the t-shirt fell around Derek as Matthew stepped back putting his hand up to his mouth. 

“Hm.” Matthew said. 

They t-shirt fell almost to Derek’s knees. Derek looked up at Matthew with hopeful eyes. 

“We can fix that.” Matthew said as he crouched down, he lifted his hands up and rolled the sleeves of the shirt up on either side while Derek beamed at Matthew. 

“Perfect.” Matthew said standing up. 

Derek looked down at himself and looked back up at Matthew with his face lit up with happiness. Mickey smiled shaking his head back and forth, the kid was a fucking sweetheart. 

Matthew walked to his dresser pulling the tie hair out if his hair and it rained down over his shoulders, Matthew threw the hair tie onto the cluttered dresser and took off his glasses, he lowered them onto the dresser and picked up a contact lense case. Derek watched him pop in the contacts and blink his eyes open and closed.

“You don’t wear them all the time?” Derek said quietly. 

Matthew smiled and blinked at Derek. 

“I wish I could.” Matthew said picking up a leather band from the dresser. 

Derek’s eyes filled with confusion. 

“I can’t do this with glasses.” Matthew said leaning over banging his head, his dark hair flew up and down and all around. 

Derek smiled and Matthew straightened up whipping his hair back with a bright smile on his face. 

“I’ve had them since I was about your age.” Matthew said smiling and wrapped the leather band around his wrist. 

“Mom said you went to pick up yours today.” Matthew said looking down at his wrist.

Derek’s eyes lowered to the floor and Matthew picked up the second leather band, he walked around the bed and sat down on the side of his bed in front of Derek. 

“Here.” Matthew said holding out the leather band to Derek. 

Derek looked at the leather band and Matthew smiled as Derek held his hand out. 

Matthew wrapped the band around his wrist twice and snapped it, Derek lifted his arm and it slid down over his wrist. 

“Now you’re ready to rock.” Matthew said and pushed his front teeth over his bottom lip and held up his hands in a horn symbol. 

Derek smiled and pulled his arm with the band into his lap. Matthew stood up and Derek looked down at the band on his wrist and over to the night stand next to the bed, Matthew watched him out of the corner of his eye as he pulled the hair tie down to his wrist. Derek stood up and took two small steps to the side table, he pulled open the drawer and took out a glasses case, he opened it and slid on a little pair of glasses. 

“They look good man.” Matthew said smiling and nodding. 

Derek pushed at the edge of the glasses and looked down at the floor with a little smile. 

“I think we’re ready.” Matthew said waving his arms out. 

Derek walked through the room and he stood taller than he had before, Matthew put his hand on Derek's shoulder and they walked out of the room together.

“That’s your grandkid.” He said as his eyes filled. 

“Yours too.” Ian said gruffly and lifted his hand to his eyes. 

Mickey put his arm around his waist and they walked down the hall, Mickey pushed at his eyes and saw Roz sitting in a chair at the table, she had on a little summer dress with big blue flowers on it. Sarah was standing behind her brushing Roz’s long hair in a light purple summer dress with her hair curled up on the back of her head. 

“Wow.” Sarah said pulling Roz’s hair back with a brush. “You guys look great.”

Derek blushed and put his head down. 

“You both look so pretty.” Matthew said and kissed Sarah’s cheek. 

“Thank you.” Sarah said. 

"Thank you." Roz said. “Nice t-shirt!” Roz said smiling at Derek

Derek smiled and Matthew pulled a chair out. Derek sat down and Matthew picked up his beer. 

“I like your glasses.” Roz said. 

“Thanks.” Derek said and looked down at the table blushing. 

Sarah’s eye sparkled at Matthew and he smiled around his beer at her. Sarah dropped Roz’s hair and Roz picked up a thin blue head band from the table and she slid it into her hair, she turned around looking up at Sarah. 

“Beautiful.” Sarah said lifting her hand to Roz’s smiling face. 

Oz came around the corner in a dark gray shirt. Mickey’s heart jumped, it looked like his shirt. 

“Westford.” Ian said quietly and wrapped his arms around his waist. Westford had replaced the shirt lost in the fire and Mickey felt the friendship that had been forged in prison and a man who he knew would always be there for his family. 

“Wow!” Oz said with sparkling eyes looking down at Roz and over to Sarah. “Two beauties!”

Roz smiled a huge smile and Oz lifted his hand to Sarah’s neck, he kissed her and Sarah’s eyes filled with love, she slipped her hand around his waist and pulled him in. 

“Hey gorgeous.” Sarah said to Oz. “Want to go out with me sometime?”

Oz smiled and blushed. Mickey smiled shaking his head. 

“Yeah." Oz said with a sweet smile and tilted his head. "How about now?” 

“OK!” Sarah said. 

Roz giggled and Matthew shook his head rolling his eyes. 

“Lets go!” Oz said pulling Sarah toward the door. 

“Hey!” Roz called out and jumped up out of the chair. 

“Huh?” Oz said looking over his shoulder as Sarah laughed. 

“What about us?” Matthew said smiling. 

“Get your own girl.” Oz called out with a scowl. 

Sarah giggled and Matthew waved his hand out to Derek. 

“They’re like this ALL the time.” Matthew said.

Roz nodded hugely with wide eyes, Derek giggled lightly and Mickey’s heart lit up hearing it. 

“Come on.” Roz said to Derek putting her hand out. Derek stood up and took her hand. Mickey watched them walk across the room hand in hand. 

Matthew crouched down and pulled on big black boots, Sarah put a pair of what looked like new dark blue sneakers next to Derek’s feet, he crouched down like Matthew and started putting them on. 

The door opened and Roz stepped out over the threshold. 

“Rooooz.” Sarah said. 

Roz stopped and turned around, her shoulders fell and her green eyes went wide. 

“But Moooom.” Roz called out. 

“Shoes.” Sarah said. 

Roz pouted and crossed her arms shifting her eyes to Oz. 

“Don’t look at me.” Oz said with a bright smile. 

“When we get there you can take them off.” Sarah said. 

Roz huffed walking back into the house and pushed her feet into flimsy blue sandals. 

“Nature girl.”Ian said.

“Guess so.” He said.

Roz shook her head at Derek as he straightened up, Derek tilted his head and Roz rolled her eyes and dropped her arms to her sides walking out the door.

Oz laughed and Derek looked up at him. 

“Girls.” Oz said with a shrug. 

Derek nodded and still looked confused, Oz put his hand on his shoulder as they went out the door and they followed them out. Oz closed the door and locked it, the sun was low in the sky and it was warm out. Oz caught up to Sarah and grabbed her hand walking behind Matthew. 

“Hey.” Oz said and Matthew looked over his shoulder. 

“You sure you want to come with us? You don’t want to like wait for your limo or somthin’?” Oz said. 

Mickey giggled and Ian smacked his arm laughing. 

Matthew turned around as he walked and flipped Oz off and turned back around. 

Oz laughed long and hard as Sarah giggled quietly. Matthew rolled his eyes and pulled open the back door of a red SUV in the driveway. 

“I love you man.” Oz said smiling. 

“Ya I know.” Matthew said and smiled. “I love you too.”

Roz walked up to the door and climbed in the truck as Oz pulled the door open for Sarah, she smiled and got into the truck, Oz closed her door and Matthew helped Derek into the back seat and climbed in. Oz walked around the truck as Matthew rolled down the window and let his arm hang out. 

They watched the truck drive away and Mickey felt Ian’s eyes on his, he looked up at him and his eyes were shining with love. 

“You want to go out with me sometime?” Ian said lifting his hand to his face. 

“Anytime.” He said quietly looking into Ian's eyes. 

Ian leaned in pulling his face to his and kissed him slow and deep.


	9. Chapter 9

Ian smiled down at him lifting his head, Mickey heard music and noise all around him. Ian lifted his arm out stepping back, they were in the park and there was sea of people in front of them. Ian watched him as he looked around and held his hand, he saw a big stage beyond the crowd of people with two big screens beside it. 

Mickey saw banners in the light of the setting sun on a lamp post, a big crooked house and a bunch of kids happy faces smiled around the words Mickey’s House and the other side of the lamp post had a triangle with rainbow colors inside of it and under it was The Ian Gallagher Center in bold lettering. 

“It’s our Lollapalooza.” Ian said with a bright smile. “It’s a little bigger now.” 

“Ya think?” He said looking around, there were people and more people everywhere. The Gallagher Center concerts had never been like this. 

“Three days.” Ian said. 

“Ya?” He said. 

Ian nodded smiling at him and pulled him with him as he started walking. 

“All the biggest bands come.” Ian said. 

“Whaat?” He asked with a scowl. 

“Yep” Ian said pulling his neck. “We’re a big deal man.”

Ian smirked and nodded, Mickey shook his head smiling as he looked around. People were kicking back or dancing, kids were running wild with glow sticks in their hands or some kind of food, he saw people with beers and red plastic cups and smiled walking with Ian, now this was a party. 

“The first two days are all big stars but tonight is for Chicago.” Ian said. 

Mickey heard the music get louder and scowled, that didn’t sound like anything he’d be OK with. 

“What the fuck is that?” He said. 

Mickey felt like his ears were burning and he felt like nails were being drilled into his head, he shook his head squeezing his eyes closed. 

Ian laughed wickedly beside him, he opened his eyes and glared at him. 

“This is some of your shit.” He hissed. 

Ian nodded and pulled him in beside him, they were suddenly past all of the people and in front of the stage. 

“Oh fuck!” He hissed. 

Ian nodded his chin up and Mickey squinted looking up at the stage. Frick was onstage with a guitar and singing about showering. 

He smirked and nodded his head waving a hand out. Ian laughed and Mickey scowled. 

“YA!” He called out. “Guess I didn’t fucking kill you HUH?”

Ian bent over giggling hysterically. Mickey smirked looked up at Frick, he had on a loud Hawaiian shirt, khaki shorts and his fucking Birkenstocks. 

“Whoooaa ooooh…shower the people you love with love.” Frick sang and Mickey narrowed his eyes shaking his head. 

“Show them the way that you feeeel.” Frick sang tapping a Birkenstock. Tara was onstage playing piano and Amy was at another microphone playing a guitar and singing along with the awfulness. 

“Things are gonna be much better if you only will.” Frick sang and smiled. 

“Shower the people you love with love.” Amy and Tara sang. “Show them the way that you feel.” 

“You'll feel better right away.” Frick sang. 

“Shower the people you love with love.” Amy and Tara sang. 

“Don't take much to do, sell you pride.” Frick sang. 

“Show them the way that you feel.” Tara and Amy sang. 

“They say in every life….” Frick sang smiling. 

“Shower the people you love with love, show them the way that you feel.” Tara and Amy sang and Mickey shivered and squinted with the pain. 

“They say the rain must fall.” Frick sang putting his head back. 

“Just like pouring rain, make it rain.” Frick sang.”Make it raiiiiin.”

“Love, love love.” Frick sang. “Suuunshine.”

“This is killin’ me.” Mickey said. Ian laughed and swayed him back and forth, he glared at him. 

“Shower the people you love with love…show them the way that you feeeel.” 

“Everybody, everybody, everybody everybody” Frick sang and smiled lifting his hand from the guitar. 

“Thank Christ.” He said and clapped. 

Ian laughed and he heard whistles and cheers, Heidi was on her feet cheering. Mickey smiled and saw the doctor guy sitting on a blanket behind her, a baby sat in front of him and Mickey elbowed Ian, he pointed and Ian smiled at the baby. 

“That’s Alexis.” Ian said. 

He knew Heidi had married the doctor guy like a minute after she met him, Heidi had tortured the fuck out of him and Luke with wedding plans and she had run off to Vegas and got hitched, he was sure Luke was still bitching about that one. Heidi was happy as hell when she came home with a huge rock on her hand, and Eugene was alright. He thought he’d take her away to Boston but Eugene had said that Heidi wanted to stay in Chicago so that’s where he would be because he wouldn’t live without her, they were gaga for each other. 

Heidi clapped and cheered, she turned around and crouched down in front of Alexis as she clapped her little hands, Eugene smiled at Heidi and she picked up Alexis and sat in front of Eugene as his bag arms went around them both. Mandy was stretched out on a blanket with her head on Lips crossed legs. Mickey twisted his mouth up and Ian dropped his head to the side widening his eyes, he scowled and glared at him, he knew they were together and had been since before the fire but he didn’t have to like it. 

“Whatever.” He said and waved his hand out looking around, Lou was sitting with Sarah and Oz on a big blanket with Joe and Robbie, Derek and Roz sat together eating ice cream and sure enough her shoes were off. Angel was sitting behind all of them with her arms braced behind her talking to a teenage boy. 

“Hey?” He said. 

Ian’s eyebrows went up, they started toward the teenager mackin’ on Angel, they stood over them and Mickey crossed his arms over his chest. Ian tilted his head and Joe looked over his shoulder. Mickey glowered at the teenage kid as his eyes lingered on parts of Angel’s body he shouldn’t be lookin’ at. Joe pushed himself back between Angel and the kid smiling.

“Hey what’s up man.” Joe said to the kid as he forced them to separate. Angel shifted over and Joe crossed his legs in front of him making them move even further apart. 

“This is fun right?” Joe said putting his hands together in his lap and looking between Angel and the kid. 

“Yeah.” Joe said smiling and looked toward the stage while Angel glared at him with death in her eyes. 

“Nice job.” He said with a nod. Ian smiled at him and he looked over the crowd, everyone was there, Fiona and the Gallagher’s were all scattered around, Westford and David were there and had a bunch of kids on the blanket around them in all different ages and colors, Mickey smiled, he didn’t need to ask, he knew Phillip and David had taken in a few kids and probably the ones that were the most trouble. 

“Ya they did.” Ian said widening his eyes. 

He saw John and Marjorie sitting in beach chairs with a big umbrella over them and Mikayla was walking to them with drinks in her hands, they took them smiling at her and she sat down on the blanket with Lou. Mrs Slenovich sat in a chair and Mickey saw a light haired guy sitting next to her on the blanket, he turned his head smiling at her and Mickey realized it was Tyler. He smirked and narrowed his eyes but saw Mrs. Slenovich reach down and pat his arm, if she liked him maybe he was alright.

Ian pulled on his arm and they sat down on the grass, the sun was almost set and the lights onstage went dark. 

The two screens on either side of the stage lit up with pictures of smiling kids as a piano played in the background, they would fade as another one came on screen. There was a group of kids bent over writing and the next was one of a big table with kids sitting around it smiling into the camera. 

“Every year Mickey’s House takes in over one hundred children.” A voice said and Mickey recognized Luke’s voice. 

A little boy standing with firemen around him in a fire hat smiled into the camera. 

“Working with local police, firehouses and hospitals, every kid who needs help can find a home.” Luke’s voice said. 

Mickey felt the tears in his eyes and blinked tightening his hand in Ian’s. A little girl smiled shyly from the screen, Sarah was crouched behind her with her arms around her. 

“But we still need your support.” Luke’s voice said. “Every dollar you donate will go directly toward helping the kids who need it.”

Milo’s picture came onscreen with a guitar on his lap and a little girl was playing guitar looking down at her hands. 

“Our volunteers are what make Mickey’s House work.” Luke said. 

A group of smiling adults came on screen, Mickey saw David, Heidi and Debbie in the group, a loud round of applause went up around them. 

“If you can’t donate your money please donate some time to our kids.” Luke’s voice said. “Thank you.” 

A picture came up onscreen, a huge group of kids and adults stood in front of the big building with the big wood door and there was a huge Mickey’s House banner in front of them. The lights on the stage went up and there were lines of kids sitting in chairs with musical instruments with Luke standing in front of them. The cheers got louder and Luke put his baton up, Mickey saw Roz in the front row looking out into the crowd, she smiled and waved a hand up over her violin in her lap. 

Sarah and Oz clapped and waved to Roz from the blanket. Lou Mikayla and the boys cheered and waved while Angel sat with her arms crossed shooting deadly looks at Joe. Derek waved to Roz smiling and Mickey saw that he was sitting a little closer to Oz and Sarah. 

The crowd quieted and Luke waved his baton up and Mickey closed one eye waiting for the racket. The music started and his ears didn’t start bleeding, the kids sounded much better. Roz played reading the music in front of her and lifting her eyes to Luke as he waved his baton around. 

“They sound pretty good.” He said. 

Ian smiled and watched the stage, Luke swayed and weaved his head around. The kids got louder and the tuba kid blew for all he was worth. Mickey saw the kid lift the big symbols and laughed as the fear filled his eyes. There was a drum roll and the kids played a little faster, Luke waved his hand, the music stopped and there was a blast of sound and the kid closed his eyes tight and smashed the symbols together. 

Luke lifted his arms out and he clapped and cheered with the crowd while Ian called out with his hand around his mouth, Roz lowered her violin and smiled. The kid with the symbols face relaxed and he let out a ‘whew’ and Mickey laughed under his breath. Everyone got to their feet clapping and Mickey stood up with Ian. Luke clapped with his baton in his hand stepping back, all the kids stood up and bowed together. Mickey heard a whistle and Oz was on his feet with his hands over his head whistling through his teeth with Sarah next to him bouncing as she clapped. 

Mickey looked back to the stage clapping and Luke waved his baton at the kids, they took another bow with bright smiling faces. Luke waved his baton to the left and the kids in the left seats went off stage, Luke waved his baton to the right and the kids on the right went right. Luke smiled and bowed halfway bringing his hands together in front of him backing up and walked off the stage. 

The crowd sat down still clapping. Mickey sat crossed legged and Ian smiled reaching for his hand, he took it and rested their hands on his knee. 

Milo walked onto the stage with Roz, the Gallagher’s and Milkoviches screamed and cheered. Tyler sat up straight clapping his hands over his head. Milo held Roz’s hand and had an acoustic guitar over his chest, Roz carried a ukulele and smiled out into the crowd. They walked across the stage and a guy in a headset put two chairs down and pulled over a microphone in front of the chairs. Roz sat down in her bare feet and pulled her ukulele into her lap as Milo sat down in the other chair and adjusted the microphone, Milo sat back and lifted his hands over the guitar. 

“One, two, three..” Milo whispered. 

Roz strummed the ukulele smiling at Milo.

“Ooooo oooo.” Milo sang softly. 

"Oooooo ooo ooo.." Roz sang with Milo.

“Oooo ooo ooo.. Somewhere over the rainbow.” Roz sang in a pretty high voice. “Way up high...and the dreams that you dream of, once in a lullybyyye.”” 

“Ayye ohh.” Milo sang with her. “Somewhere over the rainbow.. blue birds fly and the dreams that you dream of.. dreams really do come truue, oooo oooo.”

“Someday I’ll wish upon a star, wake up where the clouds are faaarrrr behiiind meeee.” Roz sang. 

“Where trouble melts like lemon drops.” Milo sang and picked at the guitar. “High above the chim-en-ey tops, that’s where…. 

“You’ll find meeee.” They sang together smiling. "Ohh sooomewhere over the rainbow, bluebirds fly."

"And the dreams that you dare to..oh why oh why can't I." They sang. "Oh Someday I'll wish upon a star..wake up where the clouds are far behind... meee.

“Where trouble melts like lemon drops.” Roz sang. “High above the chim-en-ey tops, that’s where…"You'll find meeee.". 

"Somewhere over the rainbow...way up high." They sang together. “ Birds fly over the rainbow..why oh why can’t I.”

“Ooooooooo ooooooo.” They sang.

Mickey had a smile plastered on his face as they sang. Milo smiled down at Roz as he sang strumming his guitar, he squeezed Ian’s hand and looked up at him, his eyes were soft on Roz and Milo as they sang the song he sang with Mikayla a long time ago. 

They lifted their hands as the song ended and Roz’s face broke out into a huge smile, Milo lifted a hand to Roz’s head as Ian clapped and he cheered raising his hands over his head and he heard Oz’s sharp whistle, Tyler stood up clapping and Sarah wiped at her eyes jumping to her feet. 

Ian called out beside him. “Wooo hoooo!”

Milo stood up and Roz smiled up at him as she hopped down from the chair and took his hand, Roz smiled to the cheering audience as they walked to the side of the stage and walked out of sight. They sat back down on the grass and Luke rushed onto the stage to the microphone with his violin. 

“Let’s hear it for the kids!” Luke said. 

The crowd cheered around them as he clapped. 

“And for Roz and Milo.” Luke said waving his bow hand to the side of the stage. 

The crowd whooped and cheered. Mickey clapped and whistled. 

“How’s everybody doin'?!” Luke called out.

There was a cheer and Luke smiled. Milo and Frick walked onstage, Mickey saw Milo's shiny red guitar.

“His guitar made it.” He said with a smile. 

Ian nodded clapping with a bright smile. 

Tara came out carrying a violin, he saw dark hair behind the drum set and Matthew was sitting down flipping drum sticks around in his fingers. 

“You ready to have some more fun!!!” Luke called out into the microphone, a wave of cheers and whistles went up. 

Milo smiled into the crowd and Mickey saw his eyes land on Tyler, he smiled wider tilting his head walking to the microphone at the center of the stage and pulled it up to his height. Oz came from the side of the stage and nodded to Luke. 

“Alright!” Luke called out stepping back. “Let’s go!” 

Milo looked back at the big drum set and Matthew lifted the drum sticks through his fingers and into his hands with his face lit up. Luke lifted his violin looking at Matthew as the crowd cheered. 

Matthew hit the drums hard four times and there was an explosion of sound, Mickey laughed when he recognized the song, he pulled his legs up and leaning his arms over his knees. Luke played his violin fast as Milo and Frick whaled on their guitars, Oz played a deep base and Matthew played the drums with a bright smile on his face. 

Frick walked around the stage clapping and the crowd started clapping along with him, Ian clapped beside him to the music and Mickey shrugged a shoulder up and smiled as he started to clap. 

“The devil went down to Georgia, he was lookin' for a soul to steal.” Milo said widening his eyes as he looked out into the audience.“He was in a bind cause he was way behind and he was willin' to make a deal. When he came upon this young man sawin' on a fiddle and playin' it hot! And the devil jumped up on a hickory stump and said, ‘Boy, let me tell you what?’” Milo said and turned his head away and looked back into the audience. 

“I guess you didn't know it but I'm a fiddle player too, and if you'd care to take a dare, I'll make a bet with you, now you play a pretty good fiddle boy but give the devil his due." Milo said twisting his head. "I'll bet a fiddle of gold against your soul, cause I think I'm better than you. The boy said, my name's Johnny and it might be a sin but I'll take your bet and you're gonna regret cause I'm the best there's ever been!" 

The music sped up and Mickey clapped with the crowd.

“Johnny rosin up your bow and play your fiddle hard.” Matthew, Frick and Oz sang into their microphones with Milo. 

“Cause hell's broke loose in Georgia, and the devil deals the cards.” Matthew sang banging the drums with his hair flying around. “And if you win, you get this shiny fiddle made of gold but if you lose the devil gets your soooouul.” 

Luke and Tara played on either side of Milo and he saw the happiness all over Luke’s face. Mickey saw people get up and start dancing. Heidi picked up Alexis and swung her around with her hand up dancing her around. 

"The devil opened up his case and he said, "I'll start this show" and fiiiire flew from his fingertips as he rosined up his bow." Milo said lifting his hand and wiggling his fingers with a wicked smile

"Then he pulled the bow across the strings and it made an evil hiss" Milo said.

Luke lifted the bow and there was a long low hiss as Luke swayed his body side to side and swung around in a circle. Mickey rolled his eyes laughing

"And a band of demons joined in and it sounded something like this." Milo said and whaled on his guitar. Matthew played banging his head forward, Frick moved his hands up and down over the guitar with a big grin on his face. Luke's hand flew through the air, the violin screamed and screeched. 

"When the devil finished Johnny said, "Well, you're pretty good, old son." Milo called out. "But sit down in that chair right there and let me show you how it's done" 

"Fire on the Mountain run boys run." They all sang as Tara played fast.

"The devil's in the House of the Rising Sun." Tara's bow shot up and down. "Chicken in a bread pan pickin' out dough."

"Granny, does your dog bite? No child, no!" They all sang.

Tara's violin rang out as she walked to the edge of the stage. Luke joined her and their bows moved together. Luke closed his eyes as he played and Mickey felt his joy beaming off of him.

The music quieted and Matthew tapped the drums with his arms crossed.

“The devil bowed his head because he knew that he'd been beat.” Milo said lifting his hand to the microphone. 

“And he laid that golden fiddle on the ground at Johnny's feet. Johnny said, "Devil, just come on back if you ever want to try again!” Milo said and smiled a wicked smile. 

“I done told you once you son of a bitch I'm the best that's ever been!" Milo shot out. 

“He played Fire on the Mountain run boys, run, the devil's in the House of the Rising Sun.” They sang playing hard. “Chicken in a bread pan pickin' out dough, Granny, does your dog bite? No child, no.”

Luke and Tara played as Milo stepped back from the microphone and played over to Frick, he was smiling like an idiot leaning back. The lights flashed over the stage and Matthew banged the drums biting his lip. 

The music stopped in a rush and he cheered clapping his hands over his head. Luke put his arm around Tara’s neck, she smiled into the audience as they cheered, she beamed a smiled at Milo as he walked over and hugged her with one arm. Luke pulled Frick to the center of the stage, Oz came up on the other side of Frick and patted his arm. 

“James Sutter!” Luke called out leaning into the microphone. 

Luke waved an arm out in front of Frick. Frick was at least 80 and still rockin’ out. 

Mickey clapped and cheered as Frick shook his head and started for the side of the stage. Luke hugged Tara, she waved to the crowd and left the stage. 

Luke's face lit up and Mickey saw Jake come out from the side of the stage. Jake flashed Luke a smile and walked to the piano, he sat down as the crowd quieted. Jake's fingers flew over the piano and wave of slow bluesy piano floated over the crowd. Luke walked to the piano and leaned on it with his violin in his hands. 

Jake's hands stopped. 

"Birds flying hiiigh, you know how I feel" Jake sang alone. "Sun in the skyyyy...you know how I feel...

Luke closed his eyes with a sweet smile on his face.

"Reeeeeds driftin' on by...you know how I feel." 

Jake fingers tripped over the piano. "It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life, fooor me....ya..it's a new dawn..." 

"And I'm feelin' goooood" Jake sang leaning over the piano. Luke straightened up and lifted the violin to his chin, he started playing and the bass boomed out. Matthew played the drums softly. 

Jake played swaying forward and back as his hands flew up and over the keys. 

"Fish in the sea...you know how I feel." Jake's pinky's played the high notes. Milo started playing his shiny red guitar quietly. 

"River running free you know how I feel "Jake sang in his bluesy voice lifting his head up. "Blossom on the tree you know how I feeel." 

"It's a new dawn..It's a new day, it's a new life...fooor me" Jake sang. "And I'm feeeeelin' gooood" 

Jake's fingers flew and Matthew skipped the drum sticks over the drums. 

"Dragonfly out in the sun, you know what I mean, don't you know." Jake called out nodding. "Butterflies all havin' fun, you know what I mean,"

"Sleep in peace when day is done, that's what I mean"" Jake sang leaning right and left."And this old world is a new world and a bold wooorld for me."

They all played together and Jake shook his head back and forth with the music. 

"Stars when you shine, you know how I feel...scent of the pine you know how I feeel." Jake sang twisting his face up. 

"Oh freeeeedom is mine" Jake called out closing his eyes. "And I know how I feel."

"It's a new dawn. It's a new day. It's a new liiife. " Jake sang opening his eyes as the music swelled. 

"It's a new life...foor me" Jake played the low notes leaning forward and back looking up at Luke. 

Luke smiled played with Jake. They played happily and Matthew tilted his head back and forth. 

"And I'm feeling good!" Jake sang as his hands flew up and over the keys. 

The music rang out as Jake smiled swaying. Luke dropped his bow hand and everything stopped but the piano. Jake's fingers moved over the keys and he leaned into the microphone. 

"I'm feeling goooood" Jake sang and his voice drifted off as he leaned back, his fingers went up over the keys and hit the higher notes. 

Ian cheered and he called out clapping his hands together. 

Jake lifted his hands from the piano with a big smile. Luke lifted his arms out and Jake stood up, Luke gave him a hug with his violin and bow in his hands. 

Jake stepped back as Luke smiled at him, he side stepped around the piano bench and jogged to the side of the stage waving into the crowd as his eyebrows winged up.

"You know who's idea that was." Ian said clapping. 

"Mm hm." He murmured with a smirk.

The stage went dark except for two lights in the back, there were low screams and sharp whistles from the crowd. 

There was movement onstage and he saw a dark figure walking around the drum set in the darkness, there was a light tapping of a high hat and a strain of a guitar. Mickey’s heart leapt up in his chest, it was his favorite Metallica song. 

“YEEESSSS!” He called out raising his arms into the air 

Ian giggled beside him, Angel, Joe and Robbie were on their feet rockin out. Mikayla jumped up and Mandy was on her feet, Heidi put a pair of pink headphones over Alexis’ ears and jumped up with her. 

The guitar repeated and the drums got louder, he pushed himself up to his feet and there was a flashing of lights onstage, Mickey saw Matthew bent over guitar with a white moon on it, a wild cheer went up and he lifted his arms up and let out a long scream. 

The lights flashed and Matthew’s guitar got louder and heavier, the lights came up and Matthew pulled up the guitar and played with it in the air with his hair flying behind him banging his head with the heavy drums.

Mickey’s mouth fell open, Matthew really was a rock star. 

Matthew let the guitar fall and his fingers flew over the guitar, his hair waved as he banged his head down hard and fast. Mickey saw the shirtless drummer from Matthew’s band behind the drum kit. Milo and Oz played at the sides of the stage, Matthew walked to them and they played together as Matthew and Milo bent over their guitars, Oz leaned back and smiled at them as they played. Matthew flipped his hair back as he walked to the microphone, his hair fell over his shoulders as he braced his legs out wide as his hands moved over the black guitar and flew out. 

“Say your prayers little one.” Matthew growled out as he played. “Don’t forget my son to include everyone.” 

Mickey’s head swiveled back and forth with his eyes wide, he held his hand up and Ian laughed beside him. 

“I tuck you in, warm within.” Matthew growled and turned his head with his eyes in slits. “Keep you free from sin, till the Sandman he comes.” 

“Sleep with one eye open.” Milo and Oz sang with Matthew. “Gripping your pillow tight!”

“Exit light.” Matthew called out leaning into the microphone. “Enter niiiiggght.” 

“Taaake my haand.” Matthew sang turning his head and Mickey started screaming out the lyrics. 

“We're off to Never, Neverland!” Mickey yelled out out as Matthew growled into the microphone. 

Matthew played bending over, his hair waved and his hand moved over the frets fast, he pulled up the guitar and a wave of high pitched notes rang out into the night. Mickey banged his head and Ian lifted an arm over his head and screamed his head off. 

“Something's wrong, shut the light, heavy thoughts toniiiight, and they aren't of Snow White.” Matthew spit out. 

Ian screamed out the words with him as they banged their heads as the guitar whaled 

“Dreams of war, dreams of liars, dreams of dragon's fire and of things that will biiite.” Matthew sang widening his eyes. "YEAH"

“Sleep with one eye open, gripping your pillow tight!” Oz and Milo sang. 

“Eeexit liiight, enter niiight. Taaaake my hand.” Matthew sang. “We're off to Never, Neverland”

Matthew laughed an evil laugh and pulled on the guitar, his fingers flew over the guitar and played lightning fast as the crowd cheered, Matthew bent his head and his hair swayed as the guitar sang. Matthew ran to the front of the stage and put his foot up on a riser, he played leaning forward looking down at his hands, he lifted the guitar as the high pitched notes shot through the air. 

Mickey stared at him, Matthew was a ROCK GOD.

Matthew jumped back and ran to Luke, he played as Luke’s bow whipped over the violin. Matthew side stepped to the center of the stage as the music dropped low, Oz played faster and Matthew smiled at him bracing his legs out and banging his head. It was a wall of sound as they all played together. Matthew played looking down at his guitar as he walked to the microphone. 

“Hush little baby, don't say a word.” Matthew sang with his hair in his face and shoved his hand down over the stings hard. 

Matthew pushed his head back hard with the drums. “And never mind that noise you heard.” Matthew growled swinging the guitar.

“It's just the beast under your bed!” Matthew called out. “In your closet, in your heeead!”

“Exiiiit liiiight.” Matthew called out. “Enter night.”

“Grain of sand.” Oz and Milo sang. 

“Exit light! Enter night!” Matthew called out lifting his head back and pointing into the crowd, Mickey saw Kyle at the front of the stage banging his head for all he was worth.

“Take my hand.” Matthew sang flashing a quick smile. 

“We're off to Never, Neverland.” Matthew sang and the music trailed off. Milo laughed a low evil laugh. 

Matthew picked his guitar half over his body and threw it down. There was a blast of sound and Matthew swayed his head back and forth with the guitar. Luke played his violin fast and his knees bounced like they did the first time he played this song for him at the Christmas concert.

“Take my hand.” Milo sang. 

“We're off to Never, Neverland.” Matthew sang leaning into the microphone 

“Take my hand.” Oz sang

“We're off to Never, Neverland.” Matthew growled. 

There was a wave of sound and the lights went dark. Mickey screamed with his arms up, Ian let out a long whistle and the crowd screamed around them. 

“HOLY FUCK!” He yelled. 

Ian laughed and the lights flashed over the audience. Everyone was on their feet screaming their heads off. 

“I told you.” Ian said with a smile. 

It was one thing to know it but to see it was another, Matthew commanded the stage and he played that guitar like a demon, Mickey had never seen anything like it. 

The lights went up on the stage and Matthew had his head bent over his guitar, the crowd quieted and the first notes of the guitar floated through the air. Mickey’s heart melted in his chest, Ian put his arms around his neck and he lifted his hands to his arms, a hush went over the crowd as the notes rang out through the speakers. He heard Luke’s violin and his eyes stung with tears, he heard the low bass, Milo played and he felt the waves of love coming from the stage. 

Matthew lifted his head and his eyes were closed. 

“So close no matter how far.” Matthew sang. “Couldn’t be much more from the heart.”

“Forever trust in who we are and nothing else matters.”

“Never opened myself this way.” Matthew sang. “Life is ours we live it our waaay.”

“Oh these words I don’t just saaay.” Matthew sang playing. “And nothing else matters.”

Ian’s arms went around his waist, he looked up at him and Mickey pulled him in, the music slid through him and Ian lifted his hand to the back of his neck and smiled a soft smile at him as they started moving together. 

“Trust I seek and I find in you, every day for us something new, open mind for a different view and nothing else matters.” 

“Never cared for what they dooo, never cared for what I knooow.” They sang as the guitar moved through him. 

“But I knooww.” 

“So close no matter how far.” Matthew sang. “It couldn’t be much more from the heart.”

“Forever trust in who we are and nothing else matters.”

Mickey looked into Ian’s eyes shining with love. Every word was true, nothing else matters but this, his love and his family. 

The guitar wove over and around them, he felt Matthew’s love in the music and his voice as he sang, every note was for them. Ian pulled his head down and his forehead came to his. There was nothing but Ian and the music. He lifted his hand to Ian’s sweet face and pushed his finger over his cheek as they danced together in a crowd of people alone. The words drifted over them and the guitar dropped low.

Ian lifted his head and looked over at the stage. Mickey leaned into him putting his arms around him. 

“So close no matter how far.” Matthew sang softly. “Couldn't be much more from the heart.”

“Forever trusting who we are.” Milo sang with Matthew. 

“No nothing else matters.” Matthew Oz and Milo sang together. 

Matthew played softly and the lights slowly faded as Luke played slower and slower. Ian put his arms around his shoulders and they watched the lights go out. 

The crowd cheered around them, the lights came back up and Matthew stood back away from the microphone with his guitar hanging in front of him, he lifted one hand over his head and Mickey saw his tears. Matthew dropped his chin letting his hair fall over his face and walked to the side stage, he saw Oz walk to him pushing the bass around to his back, Oz put his hand up to Matthews face lifting it and smiled at him. Matthew nodded and Oz pulled him in, Matthews arm went around him tight as Milo put his hand on Matthews back. Oz patted Matthews head and Matthew lifted his head and smiled at them. Luke walked up behind them with his violin under his arm. Matthew looked up at Luke and smiled, Milo put his arm around Matthew and they walked offstage together. 

Mickey pushed his hands over his face, Ian pulled him down to the grass and Ian’s legs slid down with his as he sat down behind him, Ian put his arms around his waist and kissed his neck. 

Oz came back onstage with an acoustic guitar and he was carrying a stool, Ian clapped his hands around him as the Gallagher’s and Milkoviches cheered. Mickey smiled as Oz walked across the stage. 

Oz put the stool down and sat down, he pulled the microphone down in front of him, he adjusted it and lowered his hands to the guitar. 

A sweet string of notes floated out of the guitar and Oz looked down at his hands as he played. 

The screens beside the stage lit up and Mickey saw himself with a little Oz on his lap, his heart shook and Ian put his face next to his and pulled his hands into his. The picture faded and another one came up, it was Oz at about 16 with his arms crossed over his chest and Mickey had his arm around him. 

“He was a giant.” Oz sang strumming the guitar. “And I was just a kid.. I was always tryin’.. to do everything he did.” 

Mickey’s eyes filled with tears as his heart cracked open. 

“I can still remember every lesson he taught me.” 

A picture came up of Luke and Oz in the torn up attic.

“Growin’ up..learning how to be.” Oz sang. “Like my old man.” 

Oz played softly and the tears fell down his face, a picture came up of him scowling with a cigarette in his hand, Oz was leaning into him with a big smile. The pictures changed and he saw himself leaning over his truck and Oz had his head half in it. Luke and Oz came onscreen lounging on the couch together. 

“He was a lion.” Oz sang and strummed the guitar. 

A picture came up of him with his arm around Luke. 

“We were our father’s pride.” Oz sang closing his eyes. 

A picture came up of Luke and Oz standing together and smirking into the camera. 

“But I was defiant.. when he made me walk the line.” Oz sang and smiled. 

Mickey smiled through his tears, a picture came up of him leaning over the plans for the attic and Oz was next to him with his hand under his chin. 

“He knew how to lift me up and when to let meee fall.” Oz sang out in a strong voice opening his eyes. 

“Lookin’ back, he always had a plan.” Oz sang. “My old man.” 

“My old man.” Oz sang strumming the guitar and the pictures changed to him sitting on a wall outside of a work site with Oz. “Feel the callous on his hands.” 

“My old man.” Oz sang closing his eyes. “Now I finally understand… I have a lot to learn…from my old man.” 

Oz played quietly and there wasn’t a sound from the audience, Mickey lifted his hand to his eyes and pushed the tears away, he lowered his hand and Ian closed his hand around it. The pictures changed to him and Oz the day he graduated from high school, it faded and he was standing in front of his grill with a very little Milo next to him. 

“Now I’m a giant.” Oz sang with smile. ‘Got sons of my own.. they’re always trying..to go everywhere I go.” 

A picture came up of Oz and Milo walking together when he was about four. 

“I do the best I can to raise them up the right way.” 

The picture changed to Matthew and Milo playing guitar together. 

“Hoping that.. they someday want to be.. like their old man.” 

Oz looked down at his hands as he played and the sound of a violin came from the speakers. The picture changed and it was Milo and Matthew in hard hats working with Oz when they were younger. Oz and Milo came on screen smiling into the camera with the bare bones of their house behind them. The picture faded to a picture of Oz and Sarah with Milo between them in a cap and gown and Oz’s face beamed with pride. The picture faded and a picture came up of Matthew in front of a half destroyed cake with his glasses covered with frosting, Oz was mid laugh standing next to him. 

“My old man.. I know one day we’ll meet again” Mickey heard Oz’s voice break. “As he’s lookin’ down.” 

“My old man.. I hope he’s proud of who I am.” 

A picture came up of Oz with his eyes closed holding a little sleeping Roz on his lap. 

“I’m tryin’ to fill the boots.. of my old man.”

A picture of his smiling face came on screen. 

“My old man.” Oz sang quietly. 

The lights faded and the last notes of the guitar came out of the speakers as his picture faded. 

Mickey’s heart spilled out into his chest so full of love and pride he couldn’t speak, he leaned forward and pushed his wrists into his eyes, Oz had shown him just how much he loved him and he felt every bit of it in his song. Ian rubbed his hand over his back as he took long breaths, he sat up pushing his hands over his cheeks and Ian lifted their clasped hands to his lips and kissed the back of his hand. 

“Was Oz ever really defiant though.” Ian said tilting his head. 

He laughed a watery laugh and shook his head. 

“I didn’t think so.” Ian said and smiled. 

His heart settled into his chest as the crowd cheered on their feet around him. 

The screens lit up with one rainbow triangle on one screen and Milo’s drawing on the other, a piano started playing slowly as a man came on screen, the crowd quieted and started sitting down.

“My name is Adam, I was on the street doing anything just to stay alive. I found out about The Gallagher Center and I thought they were just bible thumpin’ do gooders.” Adam said waving his hand in front of him. 

There was laughter from the audience. 

“I thought they would try and change me or convert me.” Adam said making air quotes.

“They took me in, no questions asked.” Adam said as the piano played quietly. “I really don’t know what would have happened to me…” Adam trailed off and looked off screen with tears in his eyes. 

“Sorry.” Adam said and took a breath. 

Adam lifted his hand to catch the tear that fell. Adam’s face faded from the screen. 

An older teenage boy came up on the side with the Mickey’s House logo.

“I’m Jacob.” The boy said in the camera. “I’m graduating from high school this week.”

There was a wave of applause from the audience as the music played and a man’s face came up on the other screen, he had makeup on and his hair was purple and shaved at the sides. 

“My parents went crazy when they figured out I was gay.” The man said and waved his hands out. “I mean really! I don’t know how they didn’t guess.”

There were laughs and cheers from the audience. 

“But I had The Gallagher Center.” The man said with a sweet smile. “They appreciated my style.” 

The crowd laughed and a little girl with big blonde curls came on the Mickey's House side, her hands moved and words came up at the bottom of the screen. 

‘My name is Lily." The words across the screen said. “I didn’t know how to sign. Everything was quiet, I’d see people and there was no way for me to reach out to them.’

‘Mickey’s House found me a family.’ Mickey read across the screen. ‘And we learned how to sign together.’

The crowd clapped and whistled around them. 

Joe’s face came up on the screen. “I’m Joe.” 

There was a cheer from in front of them and Lou put her arm around Joe and pulled him in. Mickey saw Luke sitting beside Lou and he leaned over her and patted Joe’s shoulder. 

“So I have this weird family.” Joe said and the crowd cheered, Mickey laughed and Ian nodded laughing behind him. “But they’re always there for me.” 

‘That’s right.” He said. 

Adam came back on screen. “I don’t think I’d be here if it wasn’t for The Gallagher Center, so thank you, thank you for my life.” 

The music played and Lily came on screen, she put her hand down in front of her and “Thank you for the words.” came up across the screen. 

Jacob came on the screen in his cap and gown smiling with two women standing next to him. 

“Thank you for my education.” Jacob said holding his diploma. 

The guy with the purple hair came up on the other screen. “Thank you for accepting me the way that I am.” He said.

There was a burst of applause from the crowd.

Joe’s smiling face came up on the screen. 

“Thank you for my crazy family.” Joe said and everyone whistled and cheered. 

Luke’s face came on both of the screens. 

“Thank you.” Luke said into the camera. “For everything.” 

Luke’s smiling face faded and the lights slowly went up on the stage, Mikayla was playing a grand piano in a long red dress. Luke let out a long whistle as the crowd cheered. Mikayla smiled and her fingers moved over the keys and stopped, the crowd quieted and she pushed the keys down taking a deep breath. 

“You’re broken down and tired.” Mikayla sang in a clear voice. “Of livin’ life on a merry- go- round and you can’t find the fighter, but I see it in you so we walk it out.”

“Mooooove.” Mikayla sang playing slowly. “Mountains.” 

“We can walk it out and moooove mountains.”

Everything went quiet and the piano rang out as Mikayla sang, 

“And I'll rise up. I’ll rise like the day. I'll rise up. I'll rise unafraid. I'll rise up and I'll do it a thousand times again.” 

Mickey watched her as her beautiful voice rang out, she sang with all her heart and played with all of her soul. 

“And I'll rise up, high like the waves. I’ll rise up In spite of the ache. I'll rise up and I'll do it a thousand times again.”

“For yooou ooo….” Mikayla sang lifting her voice. “For yooou ooo.” 

“For yooou.” 

Mikayla pushed her fingers over the keys and closed her eyes. 

“For yooou.” 

“When the silence isn't quiet.” Mikayla sang softly with her eyes closed “And it feels like it's getting hard to breathe and I know you feel like dyin', but I promise we'll take the world to its feet.”

“And moooove mountains.” Mikayla sang opening her eyes. “Bring it to its feet and moooooove mountains.”

Mikayla stopped and there was absolute silence. 

“And I’ll rise up..” Mikayla sang and the piano swelled.

Mickey saw Luke stand up.

“I'll rise like the day…” 

Joe Robbie and Angel stood up, Luke took Roz’s hand as she bounced up and they all started walking toward the stage.

“I'll rise up…”

The kids with Westford and David stood up and started toward the stage. 

“I'll rise unafraid…”

People from all over the park stood up and started walking toward the stage. Mickey saw Adam and the little girl Lily walking hand in hand toward the stage. 

“I'll rise up..” Mikayla sang.

Luke went up the stairs on the side of the stage with Roz’s hand in his and Angel, Joe and Robbie walked up the stairs behind him. 

“And I'll do it a thousand times again.” Mikayla sang turning her head, she smiled at Luke as he crossed the stage. 

“For yoooou oooo.”

“For yoooou ooo”

“For yoooou ooo”

Mikayla played as they all walked toward the piano, Luke stood with Robbie Joe and Roz. Westford and David’s kids walked up the stairs on the other side of the stage and a line of people were behind them. More adults and kids walked up the stairs joining them, lines of people, little and big walked to the middle and grouped together with the little kids in front. Mickey saw Lily smiling at the front of the crowd with Adam behind her, the guy with the purple hair was next to him. Roz stood in front of Luke beaming as Luke lowered his arms down around her. The group got bigger and bigger until the last person walked over and joined them.

Mickey blinked back the tears seeing what his family had done for them. 

“All we need, all we need is hoooope.” Mikayla sang in a strong voice looking into the audience. 

“And for that we have each other.” Mikayla sang and smiled at Derek. “And for that we have each other.”

“Annnd.” Mikayla sang leaning back. 

“We will rise.” The group beside Mikayla sang in one voice, the little blonde girl's hands moved in front of her.

“We will rise.” Mikayla sang.

“We will rise.” The group sang together.

“We will rise, we’ll rise up…ohhhh.” Mikayla sang in her beautiful voice. 

“We'll rise.” Mikayla sang and played lightly. “I’ll rise up... rise like the day... I'll rise up, in spite of the ache.” Mikayla closed her eyes leaning forward 

“I will rise, a thousand times again.” Mikayla sang quietly. 

The piano stopped for a heartbeat and Mikayla opened her eyes looking over at the group as she played. 

“And we’ll rise up.” Mikayla sang lifting her hand up. 

“Rise up.” The group sang together. 

“High like the waves.” Mikayla sang out in a clear voice lowering her hand back to the piano.

“Rise up.” The group sang and the little girl signed. 

“We’ll rise up” Mikayla sang.

“Rise up.” The group sang together. 

“In spite of the ache.” 

“Rise up.” The group sang. Roz swayed back and forth smiling with her hands in Luke’s and Luke smiled down at her

“We’ll rise up” Mikayla sang. “And we'll do it a thousand times agaaaaain.” 

Mickey saw a tear fall down Mikayla’s cheek as she closed her eyes. 

“For you ….” Mikayla sang as her tears fell. 

Mickey felt her spirit and love shining off of her, it was as pure and as strong as her voice.

“For yooou.” The group sang and Lily’s hands moved around the air as she signed.

“For you.” “They all sang together.

“For yooou.” The group sang as Roz swayed. 

“For yoooooooou.” Mikayla sang alone. 

Her voice lifted up high and trailed off as the screens beside the stage lit up with pictures of him and Ian, it was the picture he always had on his nightstand of him and Ian smiling at each other on their wedding day

Mikayla hit the lower keys as the lights on the stage faded. The pictures of him and Ian stayed on the screens as the notes drifted out into the quiet and stopped.

Lou and Sarah jumped to their feet clapping and lifting their hands to their watery faces, he clapped standing up as Ian stood up beside him cheering as the crowd stood up screaming and whistling around them. 

The lights onstage went up and Mikayla stood beside the piano, the crowd cheered and screamed. Luke walked to her with her arm out, Mikayla leaned her head into Luke’s shoulder as she hugged him. 

All the kids came forward and Luke put his arm around Robbie as he looked up at Luke smiling. Milo and Jake came out from the side stage clapping, Oz came out behind him and rushed to Roz, she jumped up and Oz caught her, he swung her up and she hugged him as he walked across the stage and hugged Joe with one arm. Frick came out the other side of the stage with an acoustic guitar and Matthew came out behind him. Luke lifted his arm from around Mikayla and hugged Matthew. Tara and Amy came from backstage clapping. Lou ran across the grass and up the stairs, Mikayla saw her and smiled, Lou walked to her with her arms out and hugged her kissing her cheek. John and Marjorie were on their feet clapping and they started walking toward the stage holding hands. Tyler stood up and put his hand out to Mrs. Slenovich, she smiled as she stood up and kissed his cheek. Heidi bounced over to Tyler and Mrs.Slenovich with Eugene and Alexis in her arms and they walked toward the stage together. Tyler stood on his tiptoes to see over the crowd clapping and cheering. 

Ian clapped and screamed beside him. Sarah was rushing up the stairs with Derek, Mandy ran up the stairs and Heidi walked up behind her with Alexis. Sarah ran to Oz, Roz smiled at Sarah and hugged her from Oz’s arms. Lip walked up the stairs slowly and stood behind Mandy. Fiona, Debbie and Liam went up the stairs, Fiona hugged Luke and Milo swayed Debbie back and forth. David and Westford hugged each and every one of their kids and he had never seen Westford so happy. 

Luke pulled Robbie with him toward the microphone while everyone hugged and kissed behind him. Oz stepped forward with Roz in his arms with a big smile on his face and Sarah’s hand in his, she had one arm around Derek in his very big Gun’s and Roses t-shirt. 

The crowds cheers got louder and Mickey raised his clapping hands over his head. 

Luke smiled into the audience and Lou came up beside him, he put his arm around her and kissed her smiling cheek. Robbie stood in front of Lou and Luke with a beaming smile. Westford and David held hands with all of their kids around them. Tara pulled Amy with her to the front of the stage up next to Marjorie and John standing behind Luke, Marjorie lifted her hand to Mikayla's face and kissed the side of her head. Heidi and Eugene stood with Mrs. Slenovich, who took Alexis from her arms and held her on her hip. 

Mikayla smiled out into the crowd next to Luke wiping the tears from her face. Joe put his arm around her and rubbed her back, she smiled at him and he dropped his hand to hers and held it. Angel put both her arms around Joe’s neck and he put his other arm around her. 

Ian slid his arms around him and stood behind him putting his head on his shoulder, Mickey lifted his hand to Ian’s arm and smiled looking over the stage, everyone was up there with their happy smiling faces. 

“Is everybody here?” Luke asked looking around. 

“Where’s Carl?” Luke said turning his head. 

Lou lifted her hand from Luke’s waist and pointed into the crowd. 

“Hey!” Luke said waving his hand out. “Get up here!” 

“FUCK YOU!” Came from the audience. 

There was a wave of laughter from the audience and the stage. 

“’Alright.” Luke said with a laugh. “We want to thank everyone for coming..” 

There was a wave of applause from the crowd. 

“.. and a big thank you to everyone who donated money or your time.” 

Everyone onstage clapped and cheered. Milo whistled through his teeth. 

“This last song is very special to us” Luke said when the cheers died down. “We want everyone to sing it with us.”

“Except you.” Milo said leaning into the microphone in front of Oz. 

Mickey giggled and Milo flashed a cheeky smile at Luke. Frick lowered his hands over the guitar. 

Oz swayed Roz in his arms and nodded to her. 

“Well the sun is surely sinkin’ down.” Roz sang with her arms around Oz’s neck. 

“But the moon is slowly risin’.” Oz sang with Roz. 

“So this old world must still be spinnin’ around.” Everyone on stage sang, he saw Matthew lift his arm around Milo's neck and pull him in as they sang with bright smiles 

“And I still love you.” They sang and Luke smiled at Lou as she sang in her beautiful voice. 

“So close your eyes, you can close your eyes, it’s alright.” Mrs. Slenovich sang with everyone. Heidi put her arm around her as she swayed Alexis to the music. Eugene sang behind Heidi with his arms around her. 

“I don’t know no love songs and I can’t sing the blues anymore.” Robbie Joe and Angel sang out with everyone. 

“But I can sing this song…and you can sing this song when I’m gone.” 

“Listen.” Ian said quietly and he listened. 

“It won’t be long before another day. We gonna have a good time.” The crowd sang with them and Luke smiled out at the crowd and sang off key. 

“And no one’s gonna take that time away.” They sang and Oz smiled at Roz. “You can stay as long as you like.” 

“So close your eyes.” They sang. 

“They’re singing to you.” Ian said. 

“You can close your eyes, it’s alright.”

Mickey heard what Ian was saying, he felt it. 

“I don’t know no love songs and I can’t sing the blues anymore.” They all sang “But I can sing this song, and you can sing this song when I’m gone.”

Frick played the last quiet notes. Luke lifted his arms from around Robbie and Lou and clapped with a bright smile as they crowd cheered on their feet, they all waved to the crowd and hugged each other as they started stepping back, he saw each of them look up at the screens at the pictures of him and Ian as they started walking off the stage with their arms around each other or holding hands. 

“They’re OK.” He said quietly. 

“Ya.” Ian said holding him close. “They are.”

Mickey had heard the words of the song and heard his family’s heart as they sang, he had always thought the song was about losing someone but now he knew they were telling him that they were alright without him. Mickey’s heart lifted as love rolled through him as every part of him eased into a perfect peace. 

“We did good.” He said. 

Ian nodded smiling down at him, they turned together and Ian’s hand came into his as they walked over the grass. 

Ian stopped and looked over his shoulder, Mickey looked toward the stage and Luke lifted his hand out and waved. Ian smiled and waved his big hand back at Luke. 

Mickey lifted his fingers to his mouth and whistled.


	10. Epilogue

Derek woke up and it was still dark out, he lifted the blanket over him and pulled them up to his chin, he wasn’t cold but the blanket felt clean and it smelled good. He didn’t hear Matthew’s snores and turned his head to look over at his bed, he squinted in the dim light, he couldn’t tell if he was there or not. 

He liked Matthew, he was so cool. Oz was nice and Roz was always asking what he wanted to do, she liked to draw, he liked drawing but not as much as Roz did. He didn’t know why they wanted him around but it was nice here, everyone smiled all the time and even when someone seemed mad they were usually joking around. 

The concert had been fun, Sarah had taken his hand and pulled him up on stage, it was a little scary at first but Milo had smiled at him and patted his head. Sarah had kept her arm around him the whole time. He kept waiting for someone to not be nice but the longer he stayed here the more he thought that might not happen. 

He heard bright laughter and a male voice, he opened his eyes and turned his head. He heard a girls voice and squinted, it was pretty late and Sarah had a rule about being loud at night, she thought they needed sleep for ‘brain power.’

Derek kept hearing laughing and he got more and more curious, he pushed the blanket down and sat up, he put his stocking feet on the floor listening. 

“Come on Mikayla!” He heard.

He heard a woman’s laugh again. 

‘Mikayla’s here?’ He thought and stood up. 

Derek picked up his glasses and slid them on as he walked through the room, he looked at Matthew’s bed and there were just blankets pulled down, he walked to the door and the voices got louder. 

“Can’t you turn those things off?” He heard. 

“No.” He heard. 

He walked to the opening of the kitchen and peeked around the corner, Mikayla was there and Matthew had his back to him, Milo was scowling at Mikayla. Derek saw a man sitting at the end of the table, he had dark hair and bright blue eyes, he had a cigarette in his hand and he was looking straight at him. 

“Hey!” He heard. 

Derek looked next to the man with the dark hair and there was a man with bright red hair and a big smile on his face. He knew who they were, they were Ian and Mickey, Roz had told him all about them while they were drawing, she had pointed at the pictures on the walls and told him stories about them.

Mikayla smiled at him and Ian shuffled the card in his hands. Matthew looked over his shoulder at him and smiled. 

“Do you know how to play poker?” Mickey asked. 

Derek shook his head. 

“Come on.” Mikayla said and waved her hand at him, he smiled and walked to the open seat next to her. 

“I’ll teach you.” Mikayla said and pushed a handful of candy in front of him. 

Milo sputtered. “I taught you, I’ll teach him.”

Mikayla’s eyebrow went up and Matthew laughed, he leaned over to him and put his arm around his shoulder. 

“Don’t listen to them, I’ll teach you.” Matthew said with a smile. 

“Mikayla should teach him.” Mickey said and took a drag from the cigarette. 

He looked up at Matthew and Milo as Ian threw the cards around the table, they were both smiling picking up their cards.

“Right kid?” Mickey said and smiled at him. 

Derek nodded. 

“One eyed jacks are wild.” Ian said tossing the cards. 

Mickey dropped his hand and sputtered. 

Ian leaned over and kissed Mickey’s lips. “You’re my one eyed jack.” Ian said. 

Mickey smiled at Ian and picked up his cards as the smoke winded around him. 

Mikayla slid the cards across the table in front of them, she lifted his hand gently and he took the cards. Mikayla straightened them out in his hand carefully 

He looked down at the bright colored cards and saw four K’s and an A. 

Mickey tossed two M and M’s into the center of the table and took a drag of his cigarette, he handed it to Ian who smiled and took a drag. Milo threw in two M and M’s and Matthew pushed his M and M’s into the pile. 

They all looked at him. 

“If you want to be a part of this family you gotta ante up.” Mickey said. 

Derek looked down at his cards and felt something that was new, he didn’t know what it was but he knew this was where he wanted to be. He took a breath and picked up two M and M’s, he lifted his arm out and placed them in the pile in the center of the table. 

Ian and Mickey smiled at him, Mikayla put her arm around his shoulder, Milo’s eyes sparkled and Matthew lifted his hand over his head and pushed at his hair. 

“Hey Derek, if you can beat Mikayla I’ll give you my guitar.” Milo said with a huge smile. 

Derek giggled and they all laughed around him, he held his cards and smiled swinging his feet back and forth while Mikayla told him the rules and how to bet with her arm around his shoulder. 

Derek didn’t know what the feeling was but it was nice and soft, it felt like clean clothes and a warm bed, it felt like smiles and laughter, it felt like pizza and drawing, he had heard Mickey say a word and he had heard the word but he had never felt it before, it was home, it was safe, it was family.


End file.
